Cholesterol Lowering Diet: An Overview
Dietary changes are usually one of the first things recommended for people with
high cholesterol. These eating plans are low in saturated fat and low in
cholesterol. A cholesterol lowering diet should meet the following criteria:
- Total fat intake -- 25 to 35 percent of the day's total calories
- Saturated fat intake -- Less than 7 percent of daily calories
- Dietary cholesterol -- Less than 200 mg per day
- Salt intake -- Less than 2,400 mg per day.
Following this diet also means:
- Eating only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight
- Increasing the amount of soluble fiber in your diet from sources such as kidney beans, apples, and oatmeal
- Adding cholesterol lowering foods to your diet (such as margarines containing plant stanols or plant sterols).
Dietary Strategies That Can Help Lower Cholesterol
When considering a diet to
lower cholesterol, there are two important factors to remember:
- Cholesterol is only found in animal-based foods (such as meats and dairy products)
- Certain fats have also been shown to increase cholesterol, whether or not they came from an animal.
Given these factors, a diet to decrease cholesterol should call for:
- Eating more foods with no cholesterol (plant-based products)
- Cutting back on foods from animals
- Decreasing saturated fat and trans fat intake.
