If you are limiting your cholesterol or saturated fat intake, or simply want to eat a more heart-healthy diet, the following tips might help: Do a cheese swap: Try using cottage cheese or ricotta instead of high-fat cheeses in your recipes. You may discover that these taste just as good.
Tips for Eating Cheese When You Have High Cholesterol
When you do cook with cheese, use lower-fat varieties like Swiss, cottage cheese, low-fat mozzarella, or nonfat cheddar, suggests Dr. Manaktala.
Keep cheese portions small and weigh them to reduce temptation. Using lower-fat cheeses – such as mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese or reduced-fat cheeses – will provide less saturated fat.
Greek yogurt has been connected to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Greek yogurt and the Icelandic yogurt skyr fit this bill well because many of them contain probiotics, don't have saturated fats, are low in sugar, and are high in protein.
The fiber and potassium in bananas can reduce the level of cholesterol and blood pressure. Banana is especially known as a good source of soluble fibre which will gives one a healthy body and good immune system. Grapes get into the bloodstream and carry all the bad cholesterol into the liver where it gets processed.
Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods
Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.
The American Heart Association recently certified potatoes as a low-fat, low-cholesterol food, meaning that it may be safe to consume in moderation as part of a heart healthy diet.
Most bread is made with flour, water, and yeast and contains no cholesterol. But some types are made using animal products with high levels of saturated fats, which often contain cholesterol. Additionally, bread made from white or refined grains can raise LDL cholesterol levels.
Due to its high amount of unsaturated fats, peanut butter may help reduce a person's LDL cholesterol levels. Having optimal LDL levels is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. A 2015 study found that people who had a high intake of nuts may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
If you have high cholesterol, you should talk with your doctor about what you eat, including meat. There are good, lean choices. For example, you can consider chicken or turkey breasts without skin; pork tenderloin; or beef round, sirloin, or tenderloin. Avoid highly processed meats (bacon, ham, lunchmeat, etc.).
When the body is dehydrated, the blood becomes acidic which can lead to a build-up in LDL levels of cholesterol. Drinking plenty of water will keep your blood ways clean and eliminate the excess buildup of cholesterol waste from the body.
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
People with raised cholesterol often wonder if it's OK to eat eggs, as egg yolk is rich in cholesterol. Generally speaking, it should be fine for most people, as the cholesterol in eggs does not have a significant effect on blood cholesterol. It's much more important to limit the amount of saturated fat you eat.
Increase soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
The researchers found that participants who took apple cider vinegar not only lost more weight than those who took a placebo but also had lower triglycerides and total cholesterol. The people who took apple cider vinegar also had significantly raised levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
In the UK, the average total cholesterol level is 5.7mmol/l. High cholesterol levels are considered: too high: between 5 and 6.4mmol/l. very high: between 6.5 and 7.8mmol/l.
Pectin, a substance found in pears and apples, decreases cholesterol. So do citrus fruits! Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C and fibre and because they possess the strength of antioxidant qualities, they function to lower harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and raise healthy HDL cholesterol.
Blueberries help lower “bad” cholesterol
Research published in The Journal of Nutrition found that participants who consumed blueberries reported 27% lower LDL cholesterol levels in just 8 weeks, decreasing their risk of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular disease risks.