A healthy diet and
frequent exercise can actively help to lower cholesterol levels in the blood,
and decrease the chance of fatty deposits building up in the arteries and veins
leading to yellow patches of skin around the eyes showing a build up of cholesterol,
shortness of breath, angina, coronary heart disease, strokes and heart attacks.
Around two in three adults have a higher cholesterol than is recommended in the
UK, this is increased with a higher body mass and weight.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty
substance made in the body that can be found in the blood. It exists in many
forms, most commonly in two main forms:
·
HDL – (High Density Lipoprotein) The protective
type of cholesterol
·
LDL – (Low Density Lipoprotein) The harmful type
of cholesterol
Cholesterol can be
found in some food such as eggs, kidney, liver and prawns, which is known as
dietary cholesterol, however the dietary
cholesterol we eat has much less effect on the blood levels of cholesterol in
comparison to that inflicted by consumption of saturated fat in the diet.
How can I lower my cholesterol in five easy steps?
1.
Avoid foods high in saturated fat
and trans fats
such as butter, ghee, meat pies, sausages and fatty cuts of meat, lard, cream,
hard cheese, cakes and biscuits and food containing coconut or palm oil
2.
Replace foods that are high in
saturated fat with foods high in polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated
fat such as oily
fish (recommended 2-3 portions per week), avocado, nuts and seeds, and use of
sunflower, oil, corn, rapeseed and vegetable oils in cooking
3.
Eat a high fibre diet – Foods that are high in
'soluble fibre' such as porridge, beans, pulses, lentils, nuts, fruits and
vegetables, can help lower cholesterol
4.
Take part in regular exercise – Physical activity can help increase
the levels of HDL (the protective cholesterol) in the blood
5.
Use food products rich in plant
stanols or sterols - Recent research has shown products such as
‘Flora’ and other spreads, yoghurts and milk which contain the plant
stanols/sterols found in vegetable oils and spreads, nuts and legumes which
help prevent the absorption of dietary cholesterol into the intestine
Foods to avoid
|
Why not replace with?
|
Butter
or ghee
|
Margarine or spread
|
Butter
or ghee (in cooking)
|
Vegetable, olive,
rapeseed or corn oil
|
Sausages
and fatty cuts of meat
|
Skinless chicken, quorn
|
Crisps,
pork scratching and snacks high in
saturated fat
|
Baked crisps, fresh or
dried fruit
|
Milk/white
chocolate
|
Dark chocolate
|
Curries
with cream or coconut milk
e.g. Korma, passanda or massala
|
Curries such as tandori
or madras with
chicken or prawn
|
Dressings/cheese
on salads
|
Balsamic vinegar or olive
oil
|
Sauces
based on cheese or cream
|
Sauces based on tomatoes
or vegetables
|
Vegetables
or meat that is fried,
deep fried, and
roasted
|
Vegetables or meat that
are boiled,
steamed or grilled
|
Potatoes
that are roasted, creamed or
fried e.g. Chips or dauphinois
|
Potatoes that are steamed
or boiled
|
Sugar
coated cereals
|
Fortified high fibre
cereals
|
Pastries,
croissants, cakes
|
Wholegrain/wholemeal
bread
|
For more information concerning
cholesterol see you GP or refer to the British Heart Foundation website: www.bhf.org.uk
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