How to Lower Cholesterol Through Diet

Lowering your cholesterol through diet doesn't have to be hard. It just takes a few tweaks here and there until you start to see your numbers go down.

Instructions

1

Get total fat under control: You'll want to keep your total fat intake at 20-35% of your daily calories. If your fat is too low your "good" cholesterol (HDL) may decrease. For a 2000-calorie diet that is 44-78 grams per day. Also keep your intake of saturated fat (mostly in animal products and full-fat dairy) to 7% of calories or less. For a 2000-calorie diet that is 16 grams per day.

2

Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats: There is a direct link between too much saturated fat in the diet and high cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends 7% calories from saturated fat or less. For a 2000-calorie diet, that is 16 grams a day. Studies show that if you replace saturated fats in the diet with monounsaturated fats like olive oil, avocados and nuts, you'll see your bad cholesterol decrease (LDL) and HDL increase. Skim fat from animal products by choosing lean meats, non- or low-fat dairy products and cooking with less or no butter.

3

Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day to help your heart: That means plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Make sure to include viscous, soluble fibers like oats and barley, which have been shown to lower cholesterol, by starting your day off with a bowl of oatmeal or high-fiber cold cereal. Check the nutrition labels on cereals, breads and other products to find out which ones have the most fiber.

4

Eat fatty fish at least twice a week: Salmon, herring, trout and tuna are all great source of omega-3 fats which can help reduce the plaque buildup that occurs in heart disease. If you can't enjoy fish twice a week, ask your doctor about fish oil supplements.

5

Limit cholesterol and get rid of trans fats: If you have been diagnosed with heart disease, keep cholesterol to 200 grams or less per day (if not, 300mg or less is fine). To give you an idea, one egg yolk has just over 200 mg of cholesterol. So either enjoy one egg and watch what you eat the rest of the day, eat the egg white only or try an egg substitute like Eggbeaters. While most food products are phasing out trans fats, check your labels. Companies are allowed to say "trans-fat free" for products with .5g or less per serving. When you see ingredients such as "partially hydrogenated oils," skip it.