High blood cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease, one of the leading killers of people in the United States. Changing your diet is one of the most effective ways to keep your cholesterol levels healthy and reduce your risk. Choosing the right foods and limiting your intake of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol can make a big difference, and so can changing the way you cook and prepare food. Learning how to cook for a low cholesterol diet requires making a few simple changes in the kitchen.
Step 1
Add fish to your diet twice a week. Skip high cholesterol seafood like shrimp and crawfish in favor of fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, which are high in heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Step 2
Eat vegetarian meals instead of meat-based meals once or twice a week. An easy way to incorporate vegetarian meals into your cooking style is to substitute portabello mushrooms, eggplant or another "meaty" vegetable for beef, pork or chicken in your favorite recipe.
Step 3
Roast, bake, steam or braise foods instead of frying or preparing them with excess oil or butter.
Step 4
Chill soups, stews and sauces for a few hours before serving them so that you can skim the congealed fat off the surface before you reheat them.
Step 5
Use herbs and spices instead of salt, oil and butter to flavor foods. Experiment with different herbs and combinations of herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil, dill, cumin, cinnamon and pepper to find flavors that work well with your favorite foods.
Step 6
Substitute egg whites or egg substitute for egg yolks when you're cooking or baking. Limit your intake of eggs to just two yolks per week, since yolks are very high in cholesterol.
Step 7
Skip buttery or creamy sauces or serve them on the side so that you can control exactly how much you consume.
Step 8
Substitute olive oil or vegetable oil for solid fats like butter and lard for eating and cooking.
Step 9
Use reduced fat or non-fat dairy products in place of full-fat versions when you are preparing meals.
Step 10
Choose lean cuts of beef, pork, lamb and other meats, and remove the skin from chicken and turkey before preparing it.
Step 11
Make sure your diet includes plenty of whole grains and other fiber-rich foods, like peas, beans, artichokes and broccoli. Fiber can help lower cholesterol levels.
Tips and Warnings
- Including exercise in your daily routine can help lower your cholesterol. Add 30 minutes of daily exercise to your routine along with making changes in your cooking habits to see the biggest improvement in your cholesterol levels.
