Low Cholesterol Diet: A Good Diet That Can Lower Cholesterol

Having high cholesterol puts you at greater risk for developing a slew of diseases, including heart disease. This is a reason why maintaining a lower cholesterol level is very important. There are numerous means to go about lowering your cholesterol level. One is exercising, another is reducing weight, and when all else fails, a doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medications for you. Sometimes though, going on a low cholesterol diet may be enough to lower your cholesterol so you don’t have to take medications. And really, before becoming diagnosed with high cholesterol, it is better to take steps now to maintain a good cholesterol level and keep your heart healthy.

A low cholesterol diet basically involves limiting your intake of dietary cholesterol. It includes lessening your consumption of saturated and trans fat, increasing your intake of fiber, replacing the bad fats with the goods fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and simply learning to read food labels so you know what to eat and what to avoid. Truly, going on a low cholesterol diet is not rocket science. It’s not as complicated as many of the fad weight-loss diets that involve eating fruits for one week, eating meat the next, and so on. And you don’t need to starve yourself. You simply need to know the foods that are high in bad cholesterol as well as those that are low in cholesterol and those that are good for you, so you know what to minimize your intake of as well as what to increase your consumption of.

Maybe you’re not sure where to start. Well, you can begin by minimizing your intake of high calorie junk food like chips and sweets. Most commercially packaged chips are rich in saturated fat, which increases your bad cholesterol. Sweets like candies and cookies are made of simple carbohydrates, which don’t really fill you up and make you crave for more. What you should do is go for healthier alternatives like snacking on carrots and celery, and choosing complex carbohydrates like whole grain, cereal and pasta, which keep you feeling full longer and is also a good source of dietary fiber, which helps decrease your bad cholesterol.

Truly, going on a diet that can lower your cholesterol level isn’t really that difficult. Just start small and keep your eye on your goal. It is also helpful to talk to your health care practitioner and your dietician to make sure a low cholesterol diet is right for your health. With simple steps, you can gradually be on your way to a lower cholesterol level as well as a healthy heart.