Cholesterol Lowering Foods

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat like substance, called lipid (blood fat), which is produced by the liver and found in the tissue. Your liver produces all the cholesterol your body needs, but when you eat too many foods that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol (mostly animal foods) it can make your blood cholesterol levels rise.

When there is a lot of fat in the blood, these fat molecules attach to the walls of the blood vessels and cause narrowing or complete blockage of the blood vessel. This means that one’s blood cannot easily pass through the blood vessel, and causes a stroke (blockage of the brain) or heart attach (blockage of the heart).

High cholesterol is one of the most important risk factors for heart disease (cardiovascular disease). Other major risk factors include high blood pressure, being overweight, diabetes, smoking, stress, lack of exercise and a family history of heart disease.

Suggested lifestyle changes to lower cholesterol

Attain and maintain your Ideal Body weight. Being overweight means that your heart has to do more work. Aim to have a BMI of <24.9kg/m².
Ensure a normal blood pressure of 120/80mmHg.
If your smoke, try to stop.
Check your blood cholesterol regularly (every 6 months). A normal value of total cholesterol is <5.0mmol/L (but this is dependent on one’s age)
Avoid sugar and alcohol if you are overweight or diabetic or if your triglyceride levels are high.
Aim to do at least one 30 – 45 minute physical activity session every day, 5 times a day.

Dietary tips to reduce high cholesterol:

Reduce your total fat intake:
Use less fat in food preparation. Healthy cooking methods include: grilling, steaming, baking, and boiling.
Avoid food that is high in saturated fat such as fat of meat, skin of chicken, egg yolk, full cream milk and dairy such as cream, butter, and cheese. Remember to remove all visible fat from meat and remove skin and fat from poultry BEFORE cooking.
Choose a soft tub margarine over butter.
Use small quantities of oils such as canola, sunflower or olive oil for shallow frying or braising.
Reduce your cholesterol intake. Use no more than three times a week organ meat such as liver, kidneys and shellfish such as prawns.
Select fat free (skim) and low fat dairy products.
Fish is rich in unsaturated Omega 3 fatty acids, which has a cholesterol lowering effect. Eat fish at least 2 – 3 times per week. Fish rich in Omega 3 fatty acids is tuna, pilchard, sardines, mackerel, sardines, salmon, galjoen, snoek.
 
Increase your fibre intake:

Fibre, especially soluble fibre forms a gel in the gastrointestinal tract, which binds cholesterol and helps with its excretion.

Soluble fibre is found in

Oat Bran
Oats Porridge
Bran cereal
High fibre breads, e.g. heavy rye bread, seed loaf, “health” bread
High fibre grains, such as brown rice, pearl barley, durum wheat / whole wheat pasta
Legumes: beans, lentils and split peas
Potato with the skin, sweet potato
Fresh fruit and vegetables

Conclusion

A healthy lifestyle is one of the best choices one can make. Follow a diet that is balanced which contains low GI, high fibre and low fat foods, do regular exercise, manage your stress levels, control your weight!

     Article written by Charne Smit  (RD)SA 
on behalf of
Lynne van Zyl Dieticians - the network of dieticians