Sticking to a Low Cholesterol Diet Plan

The first line of defense in the battle against high cholesterol and heart disease is diet. For those who are diagnosed with raised cholesterol levels the first thing their doctor will recommend is a low cholesterol diet plan. This can be a little confusing and frustrating the first time one goes about putting together a reduced cholesterol diet, but just as with most things a little time, patience, and practice will soon have you planning meals effortlessly.

The first thing you will need to do is examine your overall daily diet to see where changes need to be made. Start by looking at the dairy products you eat. Many of these have a high fat content which is a major factor with high cholesterol. You don't necessarily have to give up dairy but it is a good idea to substitute low fat selections when it comes to cheese, butter, and milk products. Skim or even soy milk is a good choice as well. Eggs, or more precisely the yolk, are high in cholesterol so it is a good idea to eat these in moderation, or separate the whites from the yolks before cooking with them.

Another area that needs to be looked at is meats and the saturated fats they contain. Eat red meats in moderation and choose only lean cuts. Chicken and fish make good choices in place of red meat as long as they are broiled or baked. As soon as you bread and fry them all cholesterol reducing properties are lost. In fact saturated fats and trans fats both have a bigger negative impact on blood cholesterol levels then high cholesterol foods. By baking, broiling, or even grilling the fat from the meat is drained away, which is much better from a health standpoint.

Because frying or preparing food in oil or animal fat will no longer be allowed in a low cholesterol diet plan you will come to rely more herbs and spices to flavor your dishes. You will also be eating more vegetables that are steamed or baked to go with your main dish. This may take some getting used to but it will open up a whole side of cooking that many people were unaware of. You may even find that this new way of preparing meals is not only much healthier but more flavorful as well.

Your doctor can get you pointed in the right direction when it comes starting and sticking to a low cholesterol diet plan. There are a multitude of resources available for this type of diet including books and the internet. What you will find with these resources are thousands of choices when it comes to foods you can eat and the ways in which they can be prepared. So don't look at a low cholesterol diet as a bad thing, but as a new and better way to live a long and healthy life.