08 August 2011

How To Create An Optimum Low Cholesterol Nutrition Plan

Healthy levels of cholesterol and nutrition are closely related. Think about this: you can derive cholesterol lowering benefits from the food you eat! To do this, you basically have to understand which foods can increase your good cholesterol level and which ones decrease your bad cholesterol level. Once you gain awareness of optimal cholesterol nutrition you should stick to this type of diet long enough to gain results.
First tip: Expect your healthy eating change to be a positive experience.
A diet that is focused on providing meals that are healthy for both the heart and mind does not have to be bland. Healthy eating does not mean dishes should become less tasty and appetizing. It just means learning to eat smart and cutting back on those that may put your health at risk. Contrary to popular opinion, there are a variety of ways a person can still enjoy his favorite food even under a strict diet plan. Learning and understanding the importance of including fruits and vegetables in your diet, or eating foods rich in fiber, or limiting meat intake to at least three times a week is how you can best manage your cholesterol level.
For a person prone to cardiovascular diseases and other health risks, some strict dietary guidelines that can help maintain a healthy body weight is indeed important. In fact, this one of the most important decisions you need to make, that is, if you want to prolong your life. And who doesn't?
Learning to eat smart may take time for you to get used to. But the thing is, if you understand what the food you eat does to your body, and then its much easier for you to cope with the changes in your diet. You are doing yourself a big favor by knowing what it is you need to alter or cut back on.
Here are some top tips to use in creating a healthy cholesterol nutrition plan:
EATING MEAT
Meats and poultry, for instance, are foods which are not altogether harmful to your body. You still need these as they are very rich in protein and are essential to rebuilding your body tissues. But you can maybe learn to eat chicken without the skin or grill beef or pork often, instead of frying. This way, you keep your body from digesting unsaturated fat which in turn becomes bad cholesterol that could build up and then block your bloodstreams.
• BEEF: Best parts/cuts - chuck, sirloin & round. If you love eating beef choose lean meat instead of prime meat.
• PORK: Best parts/cut – tenderloin.
The recommended daily amount of meat consumption is about six ounces or less. Processed meat contains high amounts of saturated fat, so cut back on these. Duck meats are also rich in fat compared to turkey or chicken. Fish is a very good alternative to beef or pork as it is low in fat but very high in protein and other nutrients.
EATING DAIRY
Dairy choices makes food more flavorful and delicious but they are very rich in fat. If you are aiming to lower your cholesterol but enjoy drinking milk, allow yourself to gradually alter your milk drinking habit. Go for low-fat or fat-free. It’s the same with cheese lovers. There are plenty of variety of milk and cheese on the market today that offer low-fat alternatives, for the same flavor.
Substitute egg yolks for egg whites, since the white part contains less cholesterol.
EATING SWEET and SALTY FOODS
Snack foods and beverages are mixed with artificial flavoring that usually contain more sugar. Not only is this bad for your heart, the added calories, empty calories, in fact, is also bad for your weight.
Eating food with little sodium content allows you to manage your blood pressure better. Limit use of condiments like steak sauce, fish sauce or soy sauce as they are very high in sodium. While salt adds flavor to dishes, you can instead use herbs and seasoning for flavor when cooking.
Making use of these tips will make you realize that cholesterol and nutrition can go together but you just have to know how to maximize the nutrition content f the food you eat without getting all the bad cholesterol that goes with them.

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