Do you want to eat a healthier diet for your heart? Are you looking for ways to cut some cholesterol out of your meals? Here are some options to help you make food choices that are best for you and have a lower cholesterol count.
First, keep in mind that most of your cholesterol intake comes from animal products. These include things like meats, egg yolks, and whole milk. When trying to eat a low cholesterol diet, you should stay away from these foods, as well as foods that contain these elements.
Although meats contain cholesterol, many people do not want to completely avoid meat in their diet. There are some sensible options for higher fat meats available. When choosing a meat, you should first trim the fat and limit your meat intake to a 3-ounce serving 5 times a week. Ideal meats for a low cholesterol diet include lean ground beef, lamb, veal, chicken and turkey. Meats to avoid include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, luncheon meats, and processed poultry products.
Dairy products are also a group of foods that should be avoided as much as possible when designing a low cholesterol diet. Of course, we all know that we need calcium in our diets, and dairy products are the best way to get this calcium. Then, what are we going to do? First, look for low-fat or fat-free milk or milk products. Other good choices include buttermilk, sweet acidophilus skim milk, low-fat yogurt, mozzarella or ricotta cheese, and low-fat cottage cheese. Dairy products to avoid include whole or 2% milk, chocolate milk, milkshakes, cream cheese, any processed cheese, and whole milk or custard-style yogurt.
While fruits and vegetables are generally considered a good cholesterol-lowering food choice, there are even some fruits and vegetables you should avoid. These include tomato sauce; spaghetti sauce; breaded, creamed or deep-fried vegetables; fruit packed in thick syrup; sweetened dried fruit; and fried fruit snack chips.
Egg yolks are also a no-no when it comes to eating a low cholesterol diet. You should avoid eating more than four egg yolks per week or consuming foods that contain more than four egg yolks per week. To lower cholesterol in your diet, try cooking with only egg whites or use low-cholesterol egg replacers.
High-fat foods should also be avoided when trying to eat a low-cholesterol diet. The best oils include sunflower oil, corn oil, olive oil, or peanut oil. Oils to avoid include butter, lard, bacon fat, coconut oil, and hydrogenated fats. Also, when choosing margarine, a tub is preferable to a stick. The margarine should be made with unsaturated fats and liquid oils instead of saturated fats and hard oils.
It is possible to help improve your heart health with a low cholesterol diet. By knowing which foods to avoid and which foods are best for your health, you can begin to make good food choices. When you start eating foods low in cholesterol, your body and heart will thank you.