Tips for Low Cholesterol Eationg

You need to understand that it is not enough to just have high levels of good cholesterol. The ratio of good to bad cholesterol is important.  This is because you can still get a heart attack if you have a high HDL level but also a high LDL level.  This is why it is so important to eat those lower cholesterol foods as much as you can.

It is one thing to know which foods will lower your cholesterol and quite another to put shopping for them, cooking them and presenting them on a plate for dinner.

Here are some great tips for getting healthy eating low cholesterol foods into our life.

First of all make a shopping list before you go shopping so you stick to buying foods that are good for your heart and arteries and avoid impulse buys!

Simply do not keep foods that are high in cholesterol in your house. Only have healthy foods such as canned or dry beans, fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetables and vegetable juice on hand. Do not keep Chinese food, chips, cakes or other treats around.

Get rid of the butter and margarine and replace them with canola oil, olive oil or plant sterol spreads.

Look for foods that are specifically designed for low cholesterol and heart healthy diets. These are foods that have been fortified with plant sterols that help block the absorption o cholesterol.

Instead of eggs try eating and cooking with cholesterol free egg substitute.  Even if you use these half the time you will be doing your body a big favour.

Substitute fish or vegetables in healthy oils for heavy creams on pasta.

Use vinegar instead of butter to fry foods. Liven up your dishes with oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, coriander, or cumin instead of adding fatting creams and sauces.

As you can see it only takes a few small changes in your attitude towards food and in cooking food to make a big difference in your cholesterol levels for the better.

For some people diet and lifestyle changes are not enough. High blood cholesterol levels often have a genetic component. Some people inherit altered genes that cause high cholesterol and this can usually not be changed sufficiently by lifestyle or diet.

If you are at risk of coronary heart disease and your LDL cholesterol level doesn’t drop after you make lifestyle changes and pay attention to diet, your doctor may recommend medications to force your LDL levels down.