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Kitchen Makeover for a Low Cholesterol Diet
Let's say you've decided to get serious about reducing your cholesterol. You've committed to exercising more regularly, losing some weight, and starting a low cholesterol diet. But your kitchen, alas, is still full of the not-so-healthy foods you love.
It's time to make over your kitchen -- and you don't have to knock out walls, replace appliances, or even paint the cabinets. Instead, dieticians recommend:
- Getting rid of as much unhealthy food as you can.
- Replacing it with heart-healthy food.
- Learning how to store and prepare those foods properly.
Low Cholesterol Diet Tip 1: Throw out the 'Bad' Fats.
Sometimes the easiest way to make sure you stick to a low cholesterol diet is to just get unhealthy foods out of the house. So grab a trash bag, open the cabinets, the fridge, and the pantry, and start tossing.
Look for the most obvious villains first -- processed foods containing trans fatty acids. These '' trans fats'' have been linked to increased levels of the so-called "bad cholesterol'' (low-density lipoproteins or LDLs), which are associated with heart-disease. Trans fats have also been linked to decreased levels of "good cholesterol" (high-density lipoproteins or HDLs).
As of January 2006, the FDA ruled that all nutritional labels must list trans fat content. But if you have products in your cabinets or freezer that pre-date 2006 and contain ''hydrogenated'' or ''partially hydrogenated'' ingredients (such as vegetable shortening, margarine, non-dairy creamer, or commercial baked goods) -- toss them. The American Heart Association recommends that Americans get no more than 1% of their calories from trans fats.
Low Cholesterol Diet Tip 2: Stop Buying Saturated Fat.
After you've used up the last hamburger in the meat drawer and the last gallon of whole milk, vow to buy better. The American Heart Association recommends that we get only 7% of our daily calories from saturated fats, as they have been linked to higher levels of LDLs.
The best way to keep saturated fat levels down is to avoid animal products (beef, pork, cold cuts, bacon, and whole-milk dairy products like milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt). Instead, buy low-fat dairy products and low-fat sources of protein (like skinless chicken breasts, cod, tuna, and legumes).
And go ahead -- throw out the bacon grease you've been keeping in the refrigerator.
Low Cholesterol Diet Tip 3: Stock Up on Heart-Healthy Oils and Fats.
One key to a low-cholesterol diet is using unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in nuts and seeds (sunflower, peanut, and walnut oil) have been shown to reduce LDLs. Monounsaturated fats, like olive, peanut and canola oils, have been shown to reduce the "bad" LDLs and increase HDLs.
Low Cholesterol Diet Tip 4: Replace Refined Grains with Whole Grains.
The white flour used in white pasta, cake mixes, many crackers, and some breads doesn't have as much nutritional value as whole-grain flour. These commercially baked products may also contain trans fats and/or saturated fats.
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