When your doctor says your cholesterol levels are too high, and you need to start eating more cholesterol free foods, there’s an elementary rule to remember.
Cholesterol is basically a form of fat, and you find it only in food that comes from animals. Plants do not contain fat.
So, if eating only fruits, vegetables and nuts appeals to you, you probably will never have you’ll never have to worry about having high cholesterol.
However…
Most people will never completely give up their steaks, burgers, fries, wings and barbecued ribs.
So how do you bring down cholesterol levels without completely changing your diet – and your lifestyle?
Which Foods Are Cholesterol Free?
In the real world, very few people have the discipline to put a lifetime of high cholesterol eating habits behind them.
The plan that works best appears to be a combination approach: smaller portions of high cholesterol foods, larger portions of cholesterol free foods.
Here’s a primer on some of the more common cholesterol free foods and their heart-healthy benefits. And by the way, eating more of these foods will not only keep your jeart healthier by lowering cholesterol, they will also help you with weight loss.
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes There’s no dietary cholesterol in any of these foods (assuming you don’t add cholesterol during preparation as you would with french fries).Oat bran and oatmeal Foods derived from oat bran are among your best possible choices for bringing down your cholesterol. Not only is oat bran cholesterol free, but it also provides a lot of fiber to your diet. Many people eat it in a bowl like cereal, but you can also find some recipes for making pancakes.
Beans There are dozens of different choices. Many of them, like garbanzo beans or chick peas are not only cholesterol free, but are also high in protein.
Carrots Carrots don’t get much media attention as cholesterol fighters. But one research study recently found that eating a single raw carrot every morning lowered the total cholesterol count of test subjects by an average of 11 percent.
Olive Oil and Canola Oil These contain a lot of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are helpful as part of a low-fat, low cholesterol diet. They are a source of “good cholesterol,” the type that actually flushes fatty deposits out of the bloodstream.
A Few Last Thoughts on Losing Weight and Cholesterol Free Foods
Lowering your cholesterol intake and losing weight go hand in hand. One tends to complement the other. But there are important points to remember about certain cholesterol free foods.
Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta have a high starch content. Even though they contain little or no cholesterol (depending again on how they’re prepared), they’re high in carbohydrates. As you probably know, a lot of “carbs” from such starchy foods will not help you shed pounds.
Certain types of nuts – particularly walnuts and almonds- contain no cholesterol, but contain a lot of calories. So they’re cholesterol-friendly in small portions, but will not help you lose weight if you eat a lot of them.
A great alternative to high cholesterol meats and animal based foods is anything that contains an essential fatty acid (EFA) called omega 3. Fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna are packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
To learn more about topics related to cholesterol free foods, click on low cholesterol diet and cholesterol health.
