If you're following a healthy diet to control your blood sugar -- avoiding refined carbohydrates and eating more fiber -- you're already taking two important steps toward lowering your cholesterol. You can also help lower your cholesterol if you change the type and amount of fat in your diet, exercise regularly and lose weight if you're carrying extra pounds.
Cholesterol and Diabetics
A cholesterol test reveals four scores: low-density lipoprotein -- LDL cholesterol; high-density lipoprotein -- HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol, derived from a formula for adding the three types of fat in your bloodstream. Diabetes puts you at extra risk of high cholesterol because excess sugar in your bloodstream accelerates the accumulation of unhealthy fats in your arteries. HDL cholesterol helps remove triglycerides and LDL cholesterol from your body. You can increase HDL by exercising more and reduce unhealthy triglycerides and LDL cholesterol through diet.
Reduce Dietary Cholesterol
Reduce the amount of dietary cholesterol in your diet. MayoClinic.com recommends healthy adults include no more than 300 mg of cholesterol in their daily menu plans and those at high risk for developing heart disease include no more than 200 mg. Diabetes elevates your risk, as do factors such as your age, sex, genetics and whether you smoke. To keep cholesterol consumption below 200 mg daily, don't eat eggs, squid or organ meats and eat little shrimp, veal or lamb. Keep portions of meat small -- 3 1/2 oz. -- and choose nonfat and low-fat dairy products.
Limit Saturated Fat
If you reduce the amount of cholesterol in your diet, you may automatically reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet, as most animal products contain both cholesterol and saturated fat. Tropical oils also contain saturated fats. MayoClinic.com recommends limiting your intake of saturated fat to between 16 and 22 g daily. Protein sources with 2 g or less of saturated fat per 3 1/2 oz. serving include skinless chicken, ham, pork tenderloin, halibut, salmon and tuna. Avoid fatty meats, such as beef short ribs -- they contain 18 g of saturated fat in 3 ½ oz.
Avoid Trans Fat
You should also severely restrict your intake of trans fat. MayoClinic.com recommends you include no more than 2 g in your daily menu. Margarine and shortening contain trans fat. You could also get too much trans fat if you eat commercial snacks. Check nutrition labels for saturated fat and trans fat before buying. If you're dining out, avoid fried foods and especially avoid restaurants that use trans fat for cooking. Trans fat can both raise triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol.
