How to Start a Low Cholesterol & Low-Fat Diet

Whether you are addressing the matter preemptively or you are resorting to an altered diet in the face of impending cardiac conditions, making the changes necessary to comply with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet only takes a few simple steps that anyone can accomplish. Beyond lowering your risk for heart disease, the American Cancer Society notes that a low-fat diet can help to insulate you against a variety of cancers, making this a twice-effective dietary plan that can help guard your health for the conceivable future.

Instructions

Low Fat, Low Cholesterol Diet

• 1

  Begin your diet by adhering to some basic guidelines about fat consumption: According to the American Heart Association, you should strive to consume no more than 25 percent to 35 percent of your total daily calories from fat. Monitor this level by keeping a food journal, regularly checking the nutritional information of the foods you consume, and noting how many calories you are 1) eating in total and 2) eating from fat. Keeping this number constantly updated can help you to stay on track.

• 2

  Consume no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. Limit cholesterol intake by reducing your intake of high-cholesterol foods. These foods include items that contain cholesterol overtly (such as egg yolks), but they also include items that are high in saturated fat, as saturated fat is converted into cholesterol by the body. Thus, the foods most likely to increase cholesterol levels are high-fat meats, so keep your protein sources as low-fat as possible. Stick to items such as seafood, poultry and lean meats for your meals while on a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.

• 3

  Sharply increase your consumption of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. These foods should make up the vast majority of your diet, as increasing your consumption of the aforementioned foods will naturally reduce your consumption of offending high-fat and high-cholesterol items. At least 60 percent of your diet should consist of grains, fruits and veggies, so do not let a single meal pass without at least two out of the three on your plate. Additionally, be sure to vary your chosen fruits and vegetables in order to obtain a good blend of necessary vitamins and minerals, as opposed to always consuming the same items.