A combination of excess weight, diabetes and high cholesterol puts you at high risk for developing heart disease. Fortunately, one simple diet can help you reduce all three of these risk factors. If you add fiber to your diet and reduce your consumption of fat, you can lower your weight, blood sugar and cholesterol.
Cholesterol and Fat Guidelines
Persons at elevated risk of suffering a heart attack and stroke should limit their dietary cholesterol to no more than 200 mg daily, their saturated fat to 16 g daily, their trans fat to 2 g daily and their overall fat intake to 44 g, according to MayoClinic.com. You should also include 28 g of fiber in your diet if you're a woman and 35 g of fiber if you're a man. Fiber both slows the absorption of sugar in your bloodstream and help eliminate unhealthy cholesterol from your body.
Reduce Cholesterol
You can lose weight and lower your cholesterol when you reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Egg yolks, squid and organ meat contain more cholesterol in a single serving than your daily allotment. Shrimp contain nearly a full day's supply in a 3 ½ oz. serving. Some foods such as veal and lamb contain more than half as much cholesterol as you should consume in a day. Better sources of protein include water-packed tuna, containing 30 mg of cholesterol, halibut, 42 mg of cholesterol and ham, 53 mg of cholesterol in a 3 ½ oz. serving.
Reduce Saturated and Trans Fat
Reducing saturated fat and trans fat in your diet may also help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol. Animal products and tropical oils contain saturated fat, and margarine and shortening contain trans fat. Commercial baked goods may contain both saturated and trans fat. You can reduce saturated fat by choosing low-fat dairy products and extra lean cuts of meat. If you buy packaged or processed foods, read the nutrition labels for information about trans fat and saturated fat. Avoid eating deep-fried foods at restaurants. At home, cook with olive oil.
Add Fiber
If you choose beans and legumes as a source of protein, you will do both your heart and waistline a favor. Black beans and kidney beans contain as much of half your daily supply of fiber in a 1 c. serving. High-fiber helps you fill up faster -- and stay feeling full longer -- than foods that contain little fiber. This means you will prove less likely to overeat at meals or feel hungry between meals. Other fiber-rich foods recommended by the American Dietetic Association and MayoClinic.com include oatmeal, berries, corn, fruit with edible skin, potatoes with skins and green leafy vegetables.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- Mayo Clinic; Dietary Fiber: Essential For A Healthy Diet; Nov. 19, 2009
- American Dietetic Association, Eat Right: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber, 2008
- University of California San Francisco; Cholesterol Content of Foods; February 2011
