Cholesterol: how to lower cholesterol
Why
Heart disease is the Major killer now a days in India. It is mainly caused by clogging up of the arteries by a fatty substance known as atheroma, which comes from having too much 'fat' in the blood. This serious process is called atherosclerosis—the condition that can lead to heart attack or stroke. There are two types of fat that cause damage if their levels are too high—cholesterol and triglyceride. A special blood test taken after fasting for at least 12 hours can tell if one or both of these fats are too high.
Triglyceride
If your triglyceride level is too high, fixing the problem is usually quite straightforward because it is mainly due to being overweight. It is caused by having too many calories in the diet, especially from sugar and other carbohydrates and high-calorie drinks (e.g. soft drinks and alcohol, in particular beer). The aim is to get your weight down to an ideal level.
Cholesterol
High cholesterol is a bigger problem, and if your level is too high it is important to reduce it. Cholesterol is a white fatty substance made mainly in the liver by animals, including humans. We get high levels mainly through our diet, by eating animal foods. (Therefore it is a rare problem in vegetarians.) Most people can lower the level through changing their diet. Occasionally the level is so high in some people that, in addition to the diet, special medicine is necessary to reduce it to the right level. The prescribed drugs are very effective.
Note: Although cholesterol is present in animal food, it has been shown that it is necessary to reduce the amount of all the saturated fats (plant and animal) in our diet and to lose excess weight in order to get our cholesterol down. Foods rich in starch (such as bread, rice and pasta) and fibre also help.
The low cholesterol diet
Why
Heart disease is the Major killer now a days in India. It is mainly caused by clogging up of the arteries by a fatty substance known as atheroma, which comes from having too much 'fat' in the blood. This serious process is called atherosclerosis—the condition that can lead to heart attack or stroke. There are two types of fat that cause damage if their levels are too high—cholesterol and triglyceride. A special blood test taken after fasting for at least 12 hours can tell if one or both of these fats are too high.
Triglyceride
If your triglyceride level is too high, fixing the problem is usually quite straightforward because it is mainly due to being overweight. It is caused by having too many calories in the diet, especially from sugar and other carbohydrates and high-calorie drinks (e.g. soft drinks and alcohol, in particular beer). The aim is to get your weight down to an ideal level.
Cholesterol
High cholesterol is a bigger problem, and if your level is too high it is important to reduce it. Cholesterol is a white fatty substance made mainly in the liver by animals, including humans. We get high levels mainly through our diet, by eating animal foods. (Therefore it is a rare problem in vegetarians.) Most people can lower the level through changing their diet. Occasionally the level is so high in some people that, in addition to the diet, special medicine is necessary to reduce it to the right level. The prescribed drugs are very effective.
Note: Although cholesterol is present in animal food, it has been shown that it is necessary to reduce the amount of all the saturated fats (plant and animal) in our diet and to lose excess weight in order to get our cholesterol down. Foods rich in starch (such as bread, rice and pasta) and fibre also help.
|
The low cholesterol diet
| Foods to avoid | Suitable foods | |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs | whole eggs, egg yolks | egg whites |
| Milk | whole milk and its products—butter, cream, cheese, ice-cream, yoghurt, condensed milk | low-fat milk, skim milk and its products—cottage and ricotta cheese, buttermilk, non-fat yoghurt |
| Organ meats | brains, liver, paté, liverwurst, kidney, sweetbread | — |
| Seafood | prawns, squid (calamari), fish roe, caviar, fish 'fingers', canned fish in oil (e.g. sardines) | fresh fish, scallops, oysters, canned fish in water, lobster and crab (small amounts) |
| Meat | fatty meats—bacon, ham, sausages, salami, canned meats, pressed meats, meat pastes, hamburger mince | rabbit, veal (without fat), lean cuts of beef, lamb and pork (in moderation) |
| Poultry | duck, goose, skin of chicken and turkey, pressed chicken | chicken, turkey (lean and without skin), preferably free-range |
| Bakery food | pies, pasties, pastries, cakes, doughnuts, biscuits | bread, crumpets, crispbreads, water-biscuits, homemade items (pies, etc.) if proper ingredients used |
| Fast food | fried chicken, chips, fish, dim sims, spring rolls, etc., hot-dogs, pizzas, fried rice | — |
| Nuts | cashews, macadamia nuts, coconut, roasted nuts, brazil nuts, peanuts, peanut butter (can have in very small amounts) | pecan nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, seeds (in moderation) |
| Fruit and vegetables | — | all types (very important) |
| Miscellaneous | gravies, potato crisps, caramel, chocolate (including carob), butterscotch, 'health food' bars, fudge, coffee whitener and other cream substitutes, toasted breakfast cereals (especially with coconut) | rice, pasta, cereals, jelly, herbs, spices, canned spaghetti, Vegemite, tea, coffee, honey, jam, alcohol (small amounts) |
| Oils and fats | saturated fats—lard, dripping, suet, copha, cooking (hard) margarine, coconut and palm oils, mayonnaise | polyunsaturated fats—margarines, salad dressings; vegetable oils—olive, walnut, corn, soya bean, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed (all in moderation) |
| Cooking methods | frying, roasting in fat | using vegetable oils (as above), baking, boiling, grilling, stewing |
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