Cholesterol: A Guide To High
And Low Foods!
by:
Ray Kelly
The excess accumulation of cholesterol can
lead to a stroke or heart attack. This happens
because the build-up of excess cholesterol
begins to clog the blood vessels leading to
arteriosclerosis. It is believed that the
overall incidence of strokes and heart attacks
could be reduced by as much as 50% if
Americans could reduce their cholesterol level
by 25%. In fact, for every 1% of lowered blood
cholesterol, the chances of having a heart
attack are reduced by 2%.
However, all cholesterol is not bad, as
most know by now. There are two types of
cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL helps
to remove excess fats from your blood while
high LDL is known to lead to a higher
incidence of strokes and heart attacks.
So the question is how can we follow a diet
that helps us reduce LDL while still gaining
the benefits of HDL? Below you will find a
list of foods to avoid and foods you should
eat in order to reduce overall cholesterol
levels.
Food To Avoid
Eggs – Eggs have very high levels of LDL.
(Note that the white of an egg is not bad for
you.)
Fats and Oils – Fried foods, hydrogenated
oils and excess amount of other oils are all
considered to be very high in LDL.
Sugar Products – Most sugar products will
increase LDL almost exclusively. Avoid them.
Meat Products – All meat products have very
high levels of HDL and should be avoided.
Shell Fish – Though overall fish are
healthy and help to reduce cholesterol this is
not the case with shellfish. Crabs, shrimp
(prawns), lobster and other such foods are
very high in LDL.
Dairy Products – All dairy products have
high levels of LDL. It is recommended that you
use non-fat dairy products instead.
Fast Foods – Most, if not all fast foods
are very high in fat content and increase LDL.
FOODS TO EAT
Low-Fat / Non-Fat Dairy Products – Low fat
or no-fat dairy products are much better
options than their normal counterparts but
make sure you know the actual fat content of
the item.
Non-Shell Fish – All fish are high in
Omega-3 and as a result they actually help
lower cholesterol.
Soy Products – Soy products high in protein
are good for reducing cholesterol.
Nuts – Nuts such as walnut, almond, pecan
and peanut all help to reduce cholesterol if
they are eaten in their natural form.
