Low Fat Low Cholestrol Diet

Where does cholesterol come from?

• Saturated fats, trans fats and foods high in cholesterol can raise your cholesterol.

• Saturated fats can be found in animal sources such as meats, egg yolks, and whole milk products as well as in cocoa butter, palm oil, and hydrogenated products such as shortening and stick margarine.

• Cholesterol is present in egg yolks, liver and some seafood.

Why do I need to eat less fat and cholesterol?

• Reducing intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can help to lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood and reduce your risk of heart disease and other fat levels like triglycerides.

• High cholesterol and high triglyceride levels can lead to heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

How do you lower cholesterol?

• The first step to lowering cholesterol is cutting back on saturated fats and trans fats and limiting cholesterol to 300 milligrams each day in your diet. Eat a variety of foods that are lower in fat and cholesterol. The list of healthy foods below will help you to cut back on cholesterol in your diet.

• Use low fat cooking methods.

• If you are overweight, losing weight can help to reduce cholesterol.

• Exercise helps to lower cholesterol. Exercise about 20 minutes a day at least 3 times a week.

What are triglycerides and how do you manage them?

• Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood stream and are derived from fats eaten in foods or made in the body from energy sources such as carbohydrates.

• If addition to the above guidelines for lowering cholesterol reduce your intake of alcohol and simple carbohydrates like sugar, candy, honey, and jelly.

FOOD GUIDE FOR LOW FAT LOW CHOLESTEROL DIET

Grains:

Healthy Food Choices

It’s best to avoid these foods

Helpful Tips

• Whole grain enriched breads, bagels, tortillas, English muffins, & dinner rolls.

• Whole grain enriched ready-to-eat cereals and cooked cereals like oatmeal, grits, and farina

• Whole grain enriched rice, spaghetti, macaroni, or other type of noodles

• Waffles or pancakes made with low fat ingredients

• Pretzels, low fat or fat free soda crackers, & rice cakes

• Breads prepared with eggs or cheese

• Regular waffles or pancakes

• Biscuits, cornbread, muffins

• Croissants, Danish, sweet, rolls, doughnuts

• Granola type cereals

• High fat snacks, potato chips, tortilla chips

• Egg noodles

• Foods prepared with gravies, cream sauces or cheese

Look for low fat versions of bread products; prepare pasta and rice dishes with low fat ingredients

Look for whole grain products that provide at least 2 grams fiber per serving

Vegetables:

Healthy Food Choices

It’s best to avoid these foods

Helpful Tips

All fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables; may be seasoned with a small amount of allowed fat

Deep-fried vegetables

• Vegetables prepared with meat grease, bacon, fat back, gravies

Vegetables with cream or cheese sauces

Season vegetables with spray margarine or small amounts of margarine or oil.

May need to limit starchy vegetables such as potatoes, green peas, and corn if weight loss needed

Fruits:

Healthy Food Choices

It’s best to avoid these foods

Helpful Tips

• All fresh, frozen, or canned fruits

• Dried fruits

• Unsweetened fruit juices

Eat avocados in small amounts due to high fat content.

May need to drain and rinse canned fruit in lite, medium, or heavy syrup if weight loss needed.

Some dried fruit mixtures can be high in calories; eat in moderation

Milk:

Healthy Food Choices

It’s best to avoid these foods

Helpful Tips

Skim, ½%, or 1% milk

• Low fat buttermilk

• Low-fat or non-fat flavored yogurts without sugar added

• Skim evaporated milk

• Plain yogurt with fruit added

• Low-fat cheese and cottage cheese

Whole milk, 2% milk, chocolate milk

• Cream, half and half, condensed milk

• Whole milk sweetened yogurt

• Processed cheeses and regular cheese

• Pimento cheese

Chocolate milk can be low in fat but high in suga

Meat and Protein:

Healthy Food Choices

It’s best to avoid these foods

Helpful Tips

Lean cuts of beef and pork

• Chicken and turkey without skin

• All fresh, frozen, or canned fish packed in water

• Lean low fat deli and packaged meats

• Egg whites or egg substitutes

• Dry beans and peas cooked without added fat

• Tofu

High fat meats such as fried and battered meats

• Sausage patties and links, polish sausage, hot dogs

• Packaged meats such as bologna and salami

• Canned meats such as Spam, Vienna sausage

• Convenience foods such as frozen and packaged meats, TV type dinners, and packaged foods such as “Hamburger helper”

• Limit shellfish, organ meats (liver, kidneys, heart, giblets) and egg yolks due to high cholesterol content

Trim all fat from meat and remove skin from poultry

• Use low fat cooking methods such as baking, broiling, roasting, stir-frying and grilling

• If pan-frying use nonstick pan spray and a very small amount of oil

• Prepare dry beans with butter buds and season with bouillon and herbs

• Keep meat portions small (2-3 oz svg)

Fats, Oils, and Sweets

Healthy Food Choices

It’s best to avoid these foods

Helpful Tips

Canola, olive oil, vegetable oils

• Soft tub margarine, non-stick pan sprays, fat-free liquid margarine, spray margarine, Butterbuds

• Reduced fat mayonnaise, salad dressings, sour cream, and cream cheese

• Liquid vegetable oils in small amounts

• Desserts, made with low fat ingredients, in small amounts

• Frozen yogurt, sherbet, Italian Ice, Popsicles

• Butter, stick margarines

• Regular mayonnaise, salad dressings, sour cream, cream cheese

• Shortening, lard, bacon, salt pork, and meat fat

• Regular desserts, such as cakes, pies, cookies, and pastries

• Limit sugar and sweets such as candy, frosting, regular gelatin, honey, jam, jelly, molasses, regular soft drinks, sugar, and syrups if weight loss needed or triglycerides are high

Use artificial sweeteners or unsweetened beverages to reduce sugar and calories

• Reduce foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet

In addition to making the right food choices, it’s also important to:

Read food labels when shopping

• Use low fat cooking methods and added fats in small amounts

• Choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol

• Eat more fruits and vegetables

• Limit portions of meat and offer meatless meals occasionally

Increase flavor of foods with broth, bouillon, herbs, spices, butterbuds, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and condiments such as catsup, taco sauce, salsa, and soy sauce.

• If weight loss needed, practice portion control by serving smaller portions and limiting second helpings

• Make healthy choices when eating out

• Limit sugars and sweets

	Link Partners \| Cell Phone Collection \| US Hospitals \| US Lawyers Directory