The benefits of a Low Cholesterol Diet

It is beyond any doubt that high cholesterol can be very dangerous for our health as it is associated with cardiovascular disease. One of the main factors that affect cholesterol levels in our blood is our diet (other reasons may be body weight, lack of exercise, hereditary). This is why it is essential that we follow a low cholesterol diet to eliminate the risk of developing heart problems. Also, Low cholesterol diet is absolutely vital for people suffering from diabetes.

There are many myths surrounding low cholesterol diet. These misconceptions are due to our limited knowledge of what cholesterol is and what types of cholesterol exist. So, before we give you some tips for low cholesterol diet, we need to explain some important concepts:

• What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a combination of fat and steroid and it is produced by our body and more specifically, the liver. Low levels of cholesterol in our blood and not harmful. On the contrary, cholesterol is essential as it builds the outer layer of body cells (cell membranes). It is also necessary for the production of hormones and the metabolism of certain vitamins (A, D, E, K) as well as for many more functions.

However, cholesterol is not only produced by our liver. It is also absorbed from foods. Meat, poultry fish and dairy are some of the main sources of dietary cholesterol. Therefore, it is essential that we manage the levels and type of cholesterol intake by maintaining a healthy, low cholesterol diet.

•  Is cholesterol dangerous?

Cholesterol can be dangerous for our health if:

a) There are higher than normal levels of cholesterol in our blood

b) We consume “bad fats” (or bad LDL cholesterol)

• What are the normal Cholesterol levels

Cholesterol levels may range between 3.6 mmol/liter and 7.8 mmol/liter. However, according to doctors the amount of cholesterol in our blood should not exceed 5 mmol/liter. Anything beyond this level is considered higher than normal and thus, dangerous. The most worrying readings are those over 6 mmol/liter, while if someone has cholesterol amounts that are above 7.8mmol/liter, they run a high risk of suffering from coronary heart disease.

• Are there different types of Cholesterol

Fats and cholesterol are transferred in our blood by lipoproteins, that is compounds that contain lipid (i.e. fat) and proteins. There are two different types of lipoproteins: 1) high density lipoprotein (HDL) also known as the “good cholesterol”, and 2) low density lipoprotein (LDL), aka “bad cholesterol” . LDL and HDL cholesterol, together with intermediate density cholesterol (IDL), add up to our total levels of cholesterol.

It is clear from the above that a healthy diet is not simply a low cholesterol diet, but more importantly, a diet with higher HDL and lower LDL cholesterol.

Tips for a low cholesterol diet

If you want to lower your cholesterol and improve your quality of life, the first steps you need to take are to:

1.  Avoid foods like red meat, organ meats (such as liver), butter, high fat cheese, eggs, ice cream, trans fat margarines and in general anything that is high in saturated fat and trans fat.
2.  A healthy low cholesterol diet needs to be balanced. All types of foods need to be in our menu, but in moderation! Eggs, meat and fish are rich in protein, so don’t scrap them from your diet.
3.  Try to eat egg-whites, rather than the whole egg
4.  Use natural herbs instead of salt (e.g. oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, coriander, etc)
5. Avoid potato chips
6.  Avoid oily sauces
7.  Boiling or grilling your food, instead of frying it, is also a major part of low cholesterol diet
8. Choose whole grain bread and pasta
9.  Be very careful with the amount of sugar and fat you are consuming! Especially with saturated fat (sausages, cream, cakes, pastry, biscuits, etc)

A low cholesterol diet is not only about avoiding certain types of food…

•  Always remember to eat fruit and vegetables (lots of them!)
•  Include freshly squeezed juices in your everyday routine and drink as much water as you can (1.5 to 2 litres)
•  Try to eat almonds, walnuts, peanuts and other nuts. They are known for their ability to lower cholesterol. (Nuts are high in calories, so don’t overdo it!)
• Try to eat oatmeal and oat bran, they also help control cholesterol
• Fish that are especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids that reduce blood pressure are: sardines, mackerel, salmon, herring

To sum up, your diet should not exceed the 5mmol/liter cholesterol levels. But just following a diet is not exclusively linked to the amount of cholesterol we take from our food, as one might think. A healthy diet takes into account the type of fats that we eat. There are good fats (e.g. nuts) and bad fats (saturated and trans fats, e.g. butter). The latter category raises our LDL Cholesterol that is responsible of heart attacks and strokes. So if you want to follow a low cholesterol diet, you do not have to stop eating fats altogether. Low cholesterol diet means eating the right fats!

There is one more misconception regarding low cholesterol diet. Many people stop eating fats and they replace them with carbohydrates (for instance white bread and potatoes). This is a major mistake, since eating a lot of carbohydrates actually increases our risk of a heart problem. In fact, cholesterol levels are greatly influenced by the mix of carbohydrates and fats in our diet.

More tips for a low cholesterol diet

Note, that as mentioned above, a low cholesterol diet may not be enough.

* Quit Smoking! It affects your LDL cholesterol levels

* Reduce the consumption of alcohol (consumption of too much alcohol on a regular basis raises LDL cholesterol levels)

* Always start your day with a good breakfast

* Remember that physical exercise and the reduction of body weight (if needed) are also very important factors in our effort to keep a heart condition at bay!