Diet Tips to Lower Cholesterol

According to the American Heart Association, diets low in cholesterol and saturated fat are the first line of defense against heart disease and the first step toward lowering your cholesterol. This way of eating requires careful food monitoring, especially of meats, dairy and cooking oils. The AHA has several tips to help you transition into your new diet.

Meat

• The AHA recommends altering your diet to include only lean meats in portions no larger than a deck of cards. They also suggest that all meats be trimmed, with the excess fat removed before cooking. Their guidelines call for eating fish up to three times per week because it's lower in saturated fat than most other types of meat. They also suggest having several meatless meals throughout the week, opting instead for high-fiber protein sources like beans.

Dairy

• The AHA doesn't recommend removing dairy from the diet, but rather, that dairy be chosen wisely. Dairy can be an important source of calcium and other vitamins and minerals, but it can also be a high source of saturated fat. The AHA recommends swapping out regular dairy and cheeses for low-fat or fat-free versions.

Whole Grains

• Increasing whole grains and fiber in the diet has been shown to help reduce heart disease risk and lower cholesterol. Another added benefit is that these foods make you full faster and keep you full longer while remaining relatively low in calories and virtually fat-free. The AHA recommends replacing at least half of your simple starches with whole grain products.

Fats

• The AHA recommends always choosing liquid fats over solid fats when cooking. If possible, they prefer using a cooking spray rather than a liquid oil because sprays give you a similar effect without adding excess oils to your meals. Paying attention to how much oil you use is also key. In most cases, you can use much less oil that you are accustomed to with the same results and you can saute many foods, especially vegetables, in water.