Dietary cholesterol is found in animal products only...foods such as eggs, meats, fish, poultry, cheese and milk. Consuming too much dietary cholesterol can contribute to high blood cholesterol - but that is not all. Research indicates that saturated fat may raise blood cholesterol levels even more than cholesterol itself. For this reason, it is recommended that those at risk for heart disease limit their saturated fat intake, as well as their cholesterol.

Often times a food label might bear a claim such as "cholesterol free" - great choice, right? Maybe. Just because something is cholesterol free, does not mean it is low in saturated fat. Unlike cholesterol, saturated fat is found in many more foods such as baked goods, crackers and chips. So, to help keep blood cholesterol levels in check, check out these tips:

When cooking poultry, remove the skin and trim all excess fat.

Purchase lean or extra lean beef and pork and trim all excess fat.

Use low fat or nonfat diary products such as milk, cheese and yogurt.

Cook with the egg whites and limit your intake of yolks. For example, instead of using 2 eggs for an omelet, use three whites and just one yolk.

Read labels and look for a product that has less than 3g of fat per 100 calories.

Choose a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains - naturally fat free or low fat foods.

Bookmark:

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed