1. Out With Saturated Fat
If you're trying to lower your cholesterol and avoid damaging your heart, you need to cut the saturated fat out of your diet. This means limiting the amount of meat you would normally eat, since meat is packed with cholesterol and saturated fat. You should also eat fewer dairy products, such as cheese, eggs and whole milk and throw out all of the fatty margarine and butter you have lying around in your refrigerator.
2. Trans Fat Is Bad, Too
Trans fat, which is the same as hydrogenated fat, raises your bad cholesterol and lowers your good cholesterol, making it just plain bad for your heart. If you're not sure which foods contain trans fats, look at the amount of trans fat listed on nutrition labels and make sure to avoid any food that is made with partially hydrogenated oils. As a general rule, if you avoid foods such as pastries, cookies, crackers, donuts, cakes, hard margarine and fried foods, you're on the right track.
3. Embrace the Good Fat
Now that you've eliminated most of the bad fats from your diet, it's time to substitute in the good fats. Instead of using butter that's high in saturated fat, buy a bottle of extra virgin olive oil or canola oil to use as a healthy alternative. You can also find butter-like spreads in the grocery store that contain plant sterols, which actually stop cholesterol from absorbing.
4. Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
Next time you take a trip to the grocery store, stock up on fresh fruits and veggies, which don't contain any cholesterol. You should also pack your diet with whole grains, beans and nuts. Another great way to lower your cholesterol is to enjoy a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast each morning. If you must have your eggs in the morning though, use an egg substitute that doesn't contain any cholesterol.
5. Spice Up Your Diet
Instead throwing a fatty serving of butter, mayonnaise or sour cream on your next meal, sprinkle on some spices, like basil, thyme or rosemary, instead. This way your meal will still taste great without all of that unnecessary fat. If you normally use butter to grease your pan before cooking, try white wine vinegar as a healthy, non-fat alternative.
