Eat Your Way to Lower Cholesterol

As everyone diagnosed with cholesterol learned from their doctor, there’s two types of cholesterol: the ‘good’ kind and the ‘bad’ kind.

The good kind, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), helps remove extra cholesterol from your bloodstream. The bad kind, LDL (low-density lipoprotein), builds up in your blood vessels, making your heart work harder. Over time, too much LDL can lead to heart disease and stroke.  An easy way to remember the difference is think “H” for HDL, and you want this level to be “high” and “L” for LDL, and you want this level to be lower.

Cholesterol comes from one of two sources: your liver or from foods we eat. As it turns out, the  liver makes all the cholesterol a body needs. But the extra cholesterol we take in through food prompts the liver to make more cholesterol. It’s that extra-consumed, extra-produced cholesterol that can lead to problems.  

By reducing the amount of cholesterol in your diet, you can curb how much extra cholesterol your body produces.

The primary food sources of cholesterol are animal proteins and certain oils such as palm oil. Here a few ways to limit your intake of each.

ANIMAL PROTEINS

• Choose cuts of meat that have the least amount of visible fat. Buy "choice" or "select" grades of beef rather than "prime." Lean cuts of meat contain the words “round,” “loin”, or “sirloin” on the package.

• Choose lean or extra-lean ground meat (no more than 15% fat).

• Choose poultry that has not been injected with fats or broths.

• Minimize processed meats such as deli slices, bacon, ham, salami, sausages, hot dogs and jerky.

• Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking.

• Broil rather than pan-frying meats such as hamburger, lamb chops, pork chops and steak.

• Use a rack to drain off fat when broiling, roasting or baking. Instead of basting with drippings, keep meat moist with wine, fruit juices or a heart-healthy oil-based marinade.

• When a recipe calls for browning the meat first, try browning it under the broiler instead of in a pan.

• Choose white meat most often when eating poultry.

• Remove skin from chicken or turkey before cooking. If you’re worried about the meat drying out, leave the skin on for cooking and then remove before eating.

• Try to make one weekly meal meatless. Beans, including black, kidney, garbanzo and others, are good meat substitutes as they’re not only filling thanks to a high-fiber content, but they also contain phytosterols, which can inhibit cholesterol absorption. If you’re not a fan of beans, other meatless entrée options to consider include eggplant lasagna, grilled portobello mushrooms, cauliflower steaks, veggie curries, or stir-fry, etc.

For more meatless meal ideas, click here.

OILS

Saturated fats have a big impact on cholesterol levels. Fortunately, it’s easy to discern which cooking oils and fats to avoid as saturated fats solidify at room temperature.

Fats to avoid when cooking include:

Palm oil

Lard

Shortening

Partially hydrogenated oils

Healthier options for cooking include:

Olive oil

High oleic Safflower oil

Grapeseed oil

Avocado oil

Sesame oil

Peanut oil

Flaxseed oil

Walnut oil

Sunflower oil

For heart-healthy recipes and tips on meal planning, visit the American Heart Association’s Recipe Collection or  Million Hearts.

Kristin Irace, RD, LDN, is a registered dietitian in in-patient, renal dialysis, oncology, and cardiac rehab services at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.