What you eat greatly affects your blood cholesterol levels.  The key to lowering and maintaining optimum cholesterol levels is to adopt heart healthy eating habits.  For many people this is confusing and making good food choices often feels like a game of tug-of-war. Should I or shouldn’t I eat that?  By following these simple tips, you can begin a cholesterol smart diet today. 

Limit foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.

These nutrients in moderate to high amounts raise your artery clogging cholesterol (LDL or bad cholesterol) which can increase your risk for coronary heart disease. Reducing these foods is key to successfully lowering your cholesterol combined with physical activity and weight management.

Saturated fat is usually solid at room and refrigerator temperatures.  It is found in foods such as: fatty cuts of meat, poultry with the skin, whole milk dairy products, shortening, and some vegetable oils including coconut and palm oils. 

Trans fat is a specific type of fat that is formed when liquid oils are turned into solid fats such as shortening or stick margarine.  This process is called hydrogenation and it allows foods to have increased shelf life and flavour stability.  Trans fat and saturated fat can often be found together in the same foods. Main sources of trans fat are foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oils such as crackers, cookies, candy, snack foods, other commercially baked goods, and fried foods. 

Dietary cholesterol comes from foods of animal origin such as organ meats (liver, kidney), egg yolks, whole milk dairy products (butter, cream, cheese), and certain kinds of shell fish (shrimp, lobster, crab)

Eggs and Cholesterol

Egg yolks are high in dietary cholesterol. Limit egg yolks to 2 or fewer per week including yolks in baked goods or processed foods.  Egg whites and egg substitutes have no cholesterol.  Use two egg whites or ¼ cup of egg substitute instead of one whole egg for baking and cooking.

Butter vs. Margarine

As a general rule of thumb, soft or liquid margarines contain lower combined amount of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol than butter. When selecting margarine look for brands that are trans fat free.  If you don’t like the taste of margarine, consider using light or whipped butter varieties or blends of butter and canola/olive oil.  The most important thing to remember is to use butter and margarine sparingly.

Read food labels. 

Choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol by checking the % Daily Value column and follow this general rule:  5% daily value or less is low and 20% daily value or more is high.  Trans fat has no daily value listed on food labels but aim for products with 0 grams of trans fat per serving.

Adopt a low fat diet.

Make a habit of choosing foods low in saturated fat such as: fat free or low fat milk and dairy products, lean meats, fish, chicken without the skin, whole grain products (pasta, rice, and bread), fruits, vegetables, beans, dried peas, and lentils.

Cook light by broiling or grilling.  Use a rack to drain fat when broiling, roasting, or baking.  Spice up your meals using herbs and spices instead of salt.  Use spray oils in place of butter or liquid oils.

Load up on soluble fibre. 

Soluble fibre helps to block cholesterol and fats from being absorbed through the intestine into the bloodstream.  Choose hot or cold breakfast cereals such as oatmeal and oat bran that have 3-4 grams of fibre per serving.  For extra fibre benefits, add a banana, peach, apple, or other fruit to your cereal.  Other sources include barley, broccoli, carrots, and beans.  Adding black, kidney, pinto, or other beans to salads is another excellent way to increase fibre intake.  Your goal should be at least 5-10 grams of soluble fibre per day and preferably 10-25 grams a day to lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol even more.

Add foods with plant sterols

Phytosterols are tasteless, odourless substances found in fruits, vegetable, beans, nuts, seeds, and other plant sources.  These substances have also been found to help block absorption of cholesterol.  Products such as orange juice, healthy margarines, and yogurt drinks are being fortified with plant sterols. Check food labels to determine if a product has been fortified with plant sterols.

omega-3 fatty acids

Omega -3 fatty acids are found in some fatty fish and plant sources such as walnuts, canola/soybean oil, and flaxseed.  They do not affect LDL (bad) cholesterol levels but they may protect the heart in other ways.  Omega -3 fats have been shown to help prevent blood clots from forming and inflammation from affecting artery walls. Studies indicate, for people who have already had heart attacks omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

The current recommendation is to have about two (4 oz) fish meals every week.  Fish highest in omega-3 fats are salmon, fresh tuna, sardines, and mackerel. Canned tuna is not a major source of omega-3 fats.  Fish should be grilled or baked to avoid adding unhealthy fats.  Canned varieties of fish should be packed in water and low in sodium.  Pregnant women or nursing mothers should avoid some types of fish due to mercury levels and advised to consult their doctor for more information.

Choose alternative fats

You don’t completely need to eliminate fat from your food.  Instead choose healthier types of fat in moderation.  Unsaturated fats (“good fats”) can actually help to lower blood cholesterol levels when used in moderation.

Replace saturated and trans fats with other sources such as olive, peanut, canola, soybean, corn, and sunflower oils.  Choose non-hydrogenated soft margarines (tub, liquid, or spray) more often but use sparingly.  Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts are healthier alternatives for snacks.  However, because nuts are high in calories, make sure your portion size is approximately a handful or ¼ cup with no added salt or sugar.

Jodie Kelley R.N.is Education and Programs Coordinator at The Heart Health Centre. References “Your guide to lowering cholesterol with TLC”, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mayo Clinic, FDA U. S. Food and Drug Administration, Heart UK