A diet based on low cholesterol foods can significantly improve your cholesterol levels. When high cholesterol foods are likely to blame for this health problem, making healthy changes to one’s diet can help resolve this condition and prevent the onset of life-threatening diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, stroke and obesity.
High cholesterol problems compromise heart health. It increases one’s the risk of developing coronary heart diseases as it disrupts normal heart functions. When high cholesterol levels often lead to plaque buildup and blockage of arteries, it also increases a person’s risk of having stroke or heart attack.
Although there are drugs and cholesterol lowering supplements, nothing beats a healthy low cholesterol diet from keeping your blood cholesterol within normal levels. In fact, studies have shown that a low-cholesterol vegetarian diet can improve high cholesterol by 30 percent. A diet filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, soy products and high-fiber food items is as effective as taking medications. Hence, low cholesterol diet gives you a proven solution on how to lower cholesterol naturally.
An ideal cholesterol busting problem usually includes hearty servings of fresh and colorful vegetables such as red pepper and broccoli. High-fiber foods such as oat bran cereal, whole grain bread and fresh fruits and nuts must be included. They are natural fat sweepers, which can improve high cholesterol levels by seven percent. Instead of red meat, get loads of protein from soymilk, soy sausages and soy protein.
By standard, a low cholesterol diet should cut down saturated fat intake by seven percent and other fatty substances by 25 to 30 percent. The use of non-hydrogenated or unprocessed fats as healthy fat alternatives was discovered to significantly lower the risk of developing coronary heart diseases, particularly with old age. Other healthy fat substitutes include Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fishes or fish oil supplements as well as plant sourced oils like flaxseeds. Salt is another issue with this diet. Ideally, a low cholesterol diet should limit daily sodium intake to 2,400 milligrams.
Just like any well-planned diets, low cholesterol diets include full meals plus snacks. For example, you can start the day with a selection of oat bran cereals with chopped fruits and almonds, oatmeal bread lathered with vegetable-based margarine or fruit jam and a glass of soymilk. For lunch, you may enjoy soy sausages, bean soup, oat bran bread and a selection of fruit slices for dessert. Enjoy a healthy dinner treat of stir fried vegetables, tofu and fruits and almonds for dessert. Following simple meal plans like this in a month can cut down cholesterol levels by 29 percent.
For more information about heart health and cholesterol related issues, visit Cholesterol Page.
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