Find delicious ways to keep cholesterol off your plate and out of your heart.
Cholesterol is a compound vital to life, however too much of it can be detrimental to your health. Maintaining a healthy balance of good vs. bad cholesterol is particularly important to good heart health. Start avoiding bad cholesterol and focus on incorporating good cholesterol into your diet. Click “next” to begin.
Most starches—including rice, beans, and bread—contain little or no cholesterol. However, ingredients added in their preparation (lard in refried beans) or added after the fact (butter on the bread) may contain animal-based fats high in cholesterol.
Unfortunately, most meats are high in cholesterol, but if you’re a meat-and-potatoes person, potatoes are still fair game. Like the beans and breads, be wary of how potatoes are prepared. French fries and other common ways of frying potatoes are often done in vegetable oil, which is low in cholesterol, but high in fat and other harmful substances. When cutting cholesterol, remember this: baked is best.
Make friends with fungi. There are numerous ways different mushrooms can be prepared and substituted for meat. We suggest trying mushrooms as a pizza topping (but watch the cheese because there’s plenty of cholesterol there), or swapping out that burger patty with some chewy portabella mushrooms. No matter how you fix them, mushrooms will be your heart’s friend.
When in season, avocado should be a staple in your diet. High in omega-3 fatty acids, this creamy fruit goes well with nearly anything, and helps lower bad cholesterol by upping the good cholesterol. As you enjoy your avocado, it’s helping your heart, brain, and blood. It tastes great and works hard for your health.
Like avocado, many fresh water fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help you lower your cholesterol. With all the different kinds of fish available, you can switch it up from grilled salmon for dinner one day and fish tacos (with lots of avocado, beans, and rice) the next day. There’s a lot to be had with these scaly delights.
Garlic is not only excellent to eat, but it helps keep your blood clear of cholesterol. If you’re looking for a devilishly delicious snack, try simmering whole cloves of garlic in olive oil until it’s ready to spread on bread, crackers, or other low-cholesterol foods.
What’s garlic without onions? These two potent flavors go well together, and both are anti-oxidants. While delicious served grilled, sautéed, or cooked in any way, fresh, raw onions are best to retain all of the helpful nutrition that’s good for your heart. So, eat away, but pack some breath mints.
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables has more health benefits than being void of cholesterol. Try mixing them around by creating tasty fruit salads, salsas, and more. They can be a quick snack, side dish, or main entrée, depending on your creativity.
Not everyone is going to do cartwheels over tofu, but, prepared properly, tofu can be a decent substitute for meat in many dishes. Tofu acts like a sponge. It can absorb spices, marinades, and soup bases to add more flavor and texture to your meal.
When it comes to meat, fish, chicken, and turkey will be your best bets for lowering your cholesterol. Avoid the skin, organs, and the dark meat. Poultry, such as goose and duck, have high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat and should be avoided.
Avoiding cholesterol doesn’t mean you have to give up eating. It does, however, mean you have to keep a watchful eye on nutritional labels and get more creative with your cooking. The more you’re willing to experiment with foods, the less bored you’ll get with your new cuisine, and the more your heart will thank you.
