Healthy Diet Plans >>  High Cholesterol Diet

High Cholesterol Diet 

Cholesterol is a lipid, analogous to wax and is an essential component of every cell. High cholesterol diet contributes to an array of complications, such as gall stones, obesity, renal problems and so on. The total cholesterol levels should be below 200 mg/dl. Triglyceride levels and LDL levels should be less than 150 mg/dl and 100 mg/dl respectively.
Diet plays a vital role in lowering the blood cholesterol levels.

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Exercise and lifestyle modifications are equally essential to bring a notable difference. A diet for high cholesterol aims at cutting down on the cholesterol levels. Low fat and high complex carbohydrate diet is helpful in decreasing the blood cholesterol levels. A number of diet that helps in reducing the cholesterol levels exist, such as Mayo clinic diet, low fat diet plan, Mediterranean diet and vegetarian diet.

The Mayo clinic diet is a cholesterol high blood pressure diet. Fruits and vegetables in this diet help in decreasing the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Red meat restriction is a part of Mediterranean diet. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the major parts of this diet. A number of low cholesterol foods are available namely, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds, cereals, fish, brown rice and nuts.

Diet and high cholesterol are highly interdependent. Intake of improper diet automatically increases the blood cholesterol levels. A few modifications in the diet help in reducing the cholesterol levels to a great extent. Some of them are:
Avoid the usage of Trans and saturated fats (butter, clarified butter and margarine). Olive oil and fish oil are healthy replacements!
Use non stick cookware to decrease the oil in cooking. Cooking sprays are also a better option
All kind of processed foods are substituted by wholesome and fresh foods
Milk and cream sauces are avoided. Opt for vegetable sauces
Choose lean meat instead of red meat. Skinless poultry are used to prevent the excess fat
Raw and whole nuts are considered, rather than salted and buttered ones
Whole grains and fortified cereals are more preferred than white breads
Visible fat from all animal foods are trimmed prior to consumption

Egg is a good source of cholesterol and 100 grams comprise of 1.33 grams of cholesterol. Foods such as onion, garlic, flaxseed, wheat bran, beans and oats are helpful. Adherence to dietary guidelines help in decreasing the cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart diseases. General health improves with reduced risk of obesity. A low fat and healthy fat plan is helpful for every individual, and not only those with high cholesterol levels.

Can Underweight Suffer From Heart Disease?

If you are underweight, there are a lot of health conditions that you are exposed to. Just as being overweight is bad for your health, being underweight is also equally bad. There are many underweight heart problems that people suffer from. Heart irregularities and problems with the blood vessels are some of the health conditions that you may suffer from.

Apart from underweight heart disease, you could also suffer from digestive conditions, arthritis, osteoporosis, and if there is malnutrition, it could lead to anemia and the failure of many of your organs. Malnourishment can cause eventual death and therefore, low weight can be really dangerous to your health.

What Should High Cholesterol Diet Contain?

If you are planning a high cholesterol diet menu here are some foods that you should gorge on:

  • High fiber foods such as oatmeal and oat bran.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in fish oils, vitamin E oil, and primrose oil.
  • Nuts such as almonds, mackerels, pecans, and walnuts. 
  • Orange juice and yogurt along with other foods which are high in sterols.
  • You should also replace your fats and oils with olive oil.

There are some other changes that you can add to your regular meals to convert it into a high cholesterol food diet. Cut back on sugars and refined foods to add more fresh plant products.

How To Manage High Cholesterol Naturally With Diet?

Cholesterol is a type of fat which is manufactured in the liver and serves to regulate hormonal activity. The dietary sources of cholesterol are mainly certain types of animal fats. Plant-based sources of food contain minimal quantities of cholesterol.

High levels of cholesterol in the body increase your risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases like arteriosclerosis. You can manage high cholesterol levels naturally through your diet. If you have high cholesterol foods to eat include apple, onion, garlic, pear, coriander, cucumber, lettuce, cabbage, and grape. When you have high cholesterol the foods to avoid are animal fats including beef, pork, shrimp, poultry, and egg yolk. You must also avoid consuming cheese to control the cholesterol levels in your body.
Submitted on February 24, 2009
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