Lipids, or circulating fats, are essential to health in moderate amounts because they serve as storage for calories inside the body, provide energy, assist in the absorption and transport of vitamins A, D, E and K and provide the body with the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acid. Eating too much of the wrong type of fats, however, contributes to high cholesterol and increases your risk of stroke, heart disease and other health problems, according to MayoClinic.com. Fortunately, you can lower your lipid levels with diet to improve your health.
Step 1
Increase your intake of soluble fiber by including oatmeal, bran, legumes, soy and apples in your diet. Soluble fiber dissolves into a gel-like material during digestion that impairs the absorption of cholesterol and fat in the body, according to Baptist Health Systems.
Step 2
Eat a variety of foods that are naturally low in fat, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These foods are good sources of fiber, vitamins and other nutrients, and they make great alternatives to high-fat cookies. Walnuts and other nuts are also beneficial for reducing cholesterol levels, according to MayoClinic.com, but they are high in calories and may interfere with weight-loss attempts.
Step 3
Purchase lean meats, fish and poultry instead of fatty meat and opt for low-fat milk and other dairy products. Always trim off excess fat before cooking meat. The American Academy of Family Physicians also recommends removing the skin from chicken before cooking it to lower your lipid levels.
Step 4
Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats over saturated and trans fats when cooking and preparing food. Baptist Health Systems recommends using canola, olive, safflower and sesame oils instead of palm oil, vegetable shortenings and margarines to lower your lipid levels.
Step 5
Read nutrition labels carefully when shopping; avoid products that list "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" fats in the ingredient list. According to The New York Times Health Guide, these foods are high in the wrong types of fat and should be avoided if you wish to reduce your lipid levels.
Step 6
Consume at least 2 g of plant sterols or stanols every day to reduce your LDL cholesterol and improve your lipid levels. Baptist Health Systems explains that these substances work in a method similar to soluble fiber and block cholesterol absorption. Some foods, such as orange juice and certain margarines, are now fortified with these beneficial substances.
Tips and Warnings
- Lipid tests measure four types of fat in your blood, according to MayoClinic.com: high-density lipoprotein or HDL, which is the good type of cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein or LDL, or the bad cholesterol; triglycerides; and total cholesterol.
