How do I Lower High Cholesterol?
Too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to heart disease. When the arteries become clogged with cholesterol and saturated fats, a heart attack or stroke can occur.
You can reduce the cholesterol in your blood by:
- Eating foods low in cholesterol and saturated fat
- Losing weight if you need to
- Increasing your daily activity.
What should I eat?
Foods Servings/Day
- Fruits and vegetables5 or more servings each day
- Whole grains cereals like oatmeal, rice or pasta. 6 or more servings each day
- Lean red meats and poultry without skin. Choose up to 6 total ounces each day
- Low-fat or skim soymilk, milk and dairy products. 2-4 servings each day
- Baked, broiled, grilled or steamed fish. 2 or more servings each week
- Beans, soy products like tofu or lentils. Try in place of meat in an entrée weekly
What should I limit?
Foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol include:
- Whole milk, cream and ice cream
- High fat meats like bacon, sausage,
- Butter, egg yolks and cheese and foods made from them. salami, bologna, chorizo and hot dogs
- Organ meats like liver, sweetbreads, kidney
- Duck and goose meatand brain
- Fried foods
- Solid fats (saturated fats) like shortening (Crisco®)
- Foods made with egg yolks andstick or tub margarine, lard or buttersaturated fats like biscuits, tortillas or
- Refried beans and tamales if you add lard when you make them
What are some cooking tips for me?
- Use a rack to drain off fat when you broil, roast or bake foods
- Don’t baste with drippings; use wine, fruit juice or fat free marinade
- Make recipes or egg dishes with egg whites not yolks or try a cholesterol free egg substitute
- For cooking use unsaturated oils like canola, olive, safflower and sunflower in small amounts
- Use a nonstick pan with vegetable spray, broil, grill, steam or microwave instead of pan frying in oil
- Serve smaller portions of dishes that have fat and serve bigger portions of no-fat dishes like pasta, rice,beans and vegetables
- Cut all the fat you can see off of any meat you cook, and take all the skin off of poultry
- Skim the fat off the top of sauces, soups, stews and gravies before serving