18 Low Cholesterol Foods For A Longer Life

Low Cholesterol Foods

Low Cholesterol Foods For A Longer Life : Trying to determine the high cholesterol foods to avoid can sometimes be a confusing and challenging task. When you have already been told that your cholesterol count is unusually high or if you have a positive family history for high cholesterol, heart problems, high blood pressure or strokes then it is even more important to target these foods and eliminate them from your diet.
Look at the nutrition labels and avoid the products that list any trans-fats; saturated fats; hydrogenated oil; palm oil; animal fats or shortening among the ingredients. These are not only bad for your health they will elevate the amount of LDL cholesterol in your system.

LDL is a low density lipo-protein that binds to cholesterol and transports it in your body. High amounts of LDL are associated with health problems such as heart attacks, clogged arteries and strokes. Understanding which high cholesterol foods to avoid and why will help you create a regular meal plan that will be healthier for you and your family. At the same time you have to consider limiting the types of foods that contribute to higher levels of LDL cholesterol in your body.

Important High Cholesterol Foods to Avoid

That dietary cholesterol is only present in foods that we get from animals, or in foods that are prepared with ingredients that   contain animal fat, trans-fats or saturated fats. This includes cooking ingredients such as palm oil, hydrogenated oils, shortening and lard. Safflower oil, olive oil and canola oil are the best choices to use if you are preparing food at home. In fact olive oil is   considered to be helpful for your cardiovascular system.

Marbled red meat, kidneys, liver, lobster and whole eggs are some of the food choices that are known to contain high levels of   cholesterol. Naturally these should be some of the main foods that you avoid or restrict on your diet. Cream cheese, regular ice cream, butter and other dairy products produced from whole milk should all be limited or avoided on any 'heart-healthy' dietary program.

Shrimp, scallops and lobster may contain Omega 3 fatty acids but these are also higher in cholesterol than some of the other seafood  choices that are available. If you are serious about learning which high cholesterol foods to avoid then it is important to realize that animal skin contains large amounts of both fat and cholesterol. The skin on a goose or a duck contains higher levels of cholesterol than chicken skin.

Dieticians, physicians and nutrition experts all suggest that a healthy diet should include no more than 5-10% saturated fats.   This means that you should try to avoid those processed deli items and packaged meats. That bologna, sliced ham, liverwurst, salami and the package of hot dogs can elevate your cholesterol level and boost the amount of LDL in your body.
Foods made with butter, egg yolks, whole milk and other 'fatty' ingredients are additional items that you should be removing from   your diet. Those cakes and cookies that are sold in grocery stores and bakeries might look delicious but these products are some of the ones made with ingredients that are also very high in cholesterol.

You can substitute healthier options for the foods that have high levels of cholesterol. For instance instead of a mayonnaise based salad dressing you should opt for a vinaigrette dressing made from olive oil, vinegar and seasonings.
Use common sense when you are shopping for groceries and limit your choice of such high cholesterol items as
Popular snack products including:

1. Cookies

2. Candy

3. Chips

4. Doughnuts

5. Brownies

6. Candy bars

7. Red meat

8. Shellfish

9. Veal

10. Salad dressings

11. Mayonnaise

12. Cheeses

13. Whole milk

14. Butter

15. Whole eggs

16. Organ meats

17. Foods that are heavily processed

18. Danger of Trans-Fats

Hydrogenation of vegetable oil is done through a heating process. This technique allows liquid vegetable oils to be transformed into solids that will hold their shape when exposed to room temperature. Unfortunately this chemical process also changes the molecular composition of the vegetable oil. The end product may be useful for some recipes but trans-fats create health problems for your cardiovascular system.

Hydrogenated, trans-fat or partially hydrogenated oils are all terms that are listed on some of the leading products at your local grocery. These ingredients should not be part of your family's diet. Just make sure that you give that nutrition label more than a cursory glance because this dietary information can help you determine which high cholesterol foods to avoid.