If you want to lower your cholesterol, losing weight can help. Reducing the amount and changing the type of fat you eat can help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol. A vegetarian diet offers plentiful choices for losing weight and improving heart health without going hungry.
Fat Guidelines
The amount of cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat and total fat you eat every day affects your cholesterol levels. MayoClinic.com recommends that you include no more than 200 mg to 300 mg of cholesterol in your daily diet, no more than 16 to 22 g of saturated fat and no more than 2 g of trans fat. Keep to the lower numbers if you face higher-than-normal risk of heart disease. If you or someone in your family suffered a heart attack or stroke, you're in the high-risk category. You may also face a high risk if you have two or more less serious risks apply to you. These include smoking, overweight, diabetes, gender and age.
Cholesterol and Saturated Fat
Most animal products contain both cholesterol and saturated fat. Cholesterol and saturated fat are high in calories so if you reduce the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet, you do both your heart and your waistline a favor. A single egg contains 213 mg of cholesterol, but an egg white contains no cholesterol. You can also choose low-fat and non-fat dairy. A cup of whole milk contains 33 mg of cholesterol and 5 g of saturated fat. A 1-cup serving of low-fat milk contains 10 mg of cholesterol and 2 g of saturated fat, and a 1-cup serving of non-fat milk contains 4 mg of cholesterol and 0 g of saturated fat. Limit your consumption of cheese. A 1-oz. slice of cheddar cheese contains 6 g of saturated fat.
Fiber
You can also lose weight and lower your cholesterol by adding fiber to your diet. Women should include 21 g to 25 g of fiber in their daily diets and men 30 to 38 g, according to MayoClinic.com. You can obtain 15 g of fiber in 1 cup of black beans. Other high-fiber fruits and vegetables include berries, fruit with edible skin, whole grains such as oatmeal and vegetables such as broccoli and kale. Fiber helps remove plaque from your arteries. It also helps you fill up more quickly and stay full longer than foods low in fiber. Fruit juice, for instance, provides as many nutrients and calories as whole fruit, but whole fruit will do a better job of satisfying your hunger.
Considerations
Seeds and nuts can help you lower cholesterol, but they contain a lot of calories. Watch your consumption of both while trying to lose weight. Both plants and animal products may contain saturated fat. Tropical oils, such as palm and coconut, contain high amounts of saturated fat. Tofu can fit comfortably within a diet to reduce your weight and cholesterol, but it contains 2 g of saturated fat per ½-cup serving -- more than skinless chicken. Avoid commercially baked goods since they may contain too much trans fat and too many calories.
References
- American Heart Association: Learn and Live -- Fiber Up, Slim Down, Feb. 9, 2011
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol; Are Chicken Eggs Good or Bad for My Cholesterol?; Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.; Dec. 22, 2009
- University of California San Francisco: Cholesterol Content of Foods; February 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating High-Fiber Foods; Nov. 19, 2009
