Your heart health and general wellness depend on a variety of factors, but a healthy diet plays a vital role. Whether your cholesterol levels test in the low risk or high risk range for developing cardiovascular disease, it makes sense to follow a prudent diet that will help you attain or maintain desired results. You don't need to go hungry or deprive yourself of your favorite foods. But if you're a fan of greasy fare such as burgers and fries, you may wish to moderate your indulgences.
Healthy Cholesterol Numbers
For optimal heart health, your total cholesterol should measure 220 mg/dl -- milligrams per deciliter of blood -- or less. This total score includes the amount of LDL -- low-density lipoprotein -- and HDL -- high-density lipoprotein -- in your bloodstream as well as a percentage of your triglycerides, a fat that, like LDL cholesterol, can clog your arteries. Aim to keep your LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dl if you're otherwise healthy and as low as 70 mg/dl if other factors such as your age, medical history and gender put you at higher risk for heart disease. Your HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL and triglycerides from your bloodstream. Keep HDL as high as possible -- preferably above 60 mg/dl. Keep triglycerides as low as possible, ideally below 150 mg/dl.
Fat and Fiber
A cholesterol prudent diet can help you lose excess weight, another risk factor for heart disease, and control the type and amount of fat in your diet. MayoClinic.com recommends you include no more than 16 g to 22 g of saturated fat, no more than 2 g of trans fat and no more than 44 to 78 g of all kinds of fat in your daily diet. Most of your fat should come from healthy sources, such as seeds, nuts, fish and olive oil. Observe the lower ranges for saturated and total fat if you're at high risk for heart attack. You should also add fiber to your diet -- 38 g a day for men and 25 g a day for women. Limit the amount of salt and sugar in your diet.
Lower Saturated and Trans Fat
You can cut back on saturated fat by choosing lean protein and avoiding coconut and tropical oils. A 3 ½ oz. serving of skinless chicken contains 1 g of saturated fat while the same amount of lean ground beef contains 8 g. A half-pound cheeseburger contains 19 g. If you want to include burgers and other fatty meat in your diet, keep the rest of your daily menu free from saturated fat. Protein sources with little or no saturated fat include skim milk, non-fat yogurt and black beans. To limit trans fat, avoid cooking with shortening and margarine and check nutrition labels before buying commercial baked goods and processed snacks.
Add Fiber
You can include more fiber in your diet by eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. Just 1 c. of black beans provides 15 g of fiber -- nearly half of a man's daily fiber need. Other good sources of fiber include berries, citrus fruit, oatmeal, bran cereal, kale, collards, spinach and fruit with edible skins and seeds. Adding fiber can help lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, another risk factor for heart disease. Fiber may also help you lose weight because it helps you feel full faster and stay full longer than when you eat low-fiber foods such as white bread and pastries.
References
- MayoClinic.com; High Cholesterol; June 2010
- American Heart Association; What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean; April 1011
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center; Cholesterol Content of Foods; Feb. 2 2011
- McDonald's USA: Nutrition Facts for Popular Menu Items: April 6 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating -- High-Fiber Foods, 2009
