A Low Cholesterol Diet for Healthy Living

The body manufactures most of the cholesterol it needs for building cell walls and other functions. In some rare cases, the cholesterol level produced by the body is excessive and causes problems. In most cases, however, the excess cholesterol is imported. It enters the system as part of your food. There are two dietary approaches that can help you reduce cholesterol in your bloodstream.

Low Cholesterol Foods

A diet made up of foods high in cholesterol will increase the amount of cholesterol in your body. Dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish all contain cholesterol. Egg yolks and organ meats such as liver, kidney, and brain all have high amounts of cholesterol. Most fish has less cholesterol. Some fatty foods contain very little cholesterol and some foods that are low in fat, such as lobster or shrimp, are high in cholesterol.

A low cholesterol diet consisting of fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, nuts, and seeds, will help you when it comes to lowering cholesterol. Chicken is a good choice for low cholesterol diets, but remember to remove the skin, since that is where the fat cells are found.

Foods That Lower Cholesterol

Some foods contain substances that can actually raise the amount of good cholesterol - also known as HDL cholesterol - in the body. The increase in HDL cholesterol will lower the proportion of bad cholesterol or LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream. Certain fish, such as salmon, is high in Omega-3 oils, and actually increases good cholesterol in your body. Monounsaturated oils such as olive oil and canola oil are also valuable additions to the cholesterol lowering foods. Researchers have discovered that the substitution of either monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats for saturated fat in the diet will reduce cholesterol levels in the body.

--M.A.D.