Cholesterol-Lowering Foods

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by Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D.
If you have high cholesterol, simple dietary changes can lower it by 5% - 10%, on average.

It may not sound like much, but that's a bold improvement -- a 10% reduction in blood cholesterol reduces your heart disease risk by about 20 - 30%.

See the lists below for foods that can help, and foods that can hurt. A diet that helps you beat high cholesterol is low in total fat, saturated fat and trans-fatty acids, with the right number of calories to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Often, losing even a few pounds makes a difference.

Tips To Lower Total Cholesterol



Avoid high-fat meat.
Avoid full-fat dairy or high-fat processed foods.
Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy, and lean poultry breast (without the skin).
Get more protein from seafood, soy and beans.
Eat 25 grams of soy protein a day. You'll get there with about 2 heaping tablespoons of soy powder, or 2 cups of low-fat soymilk and 4 ounces of firm tofu. (If your cholesterol level is above 240 mg/dL, you may want to aim for 25 - 30 grams.)
Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Use olive oil and pan sprays for cooking.
Enjoy small portions of foods that are rich in "good fats," such as nuts and seeds, as calories allow.


Foods To Avoid

Each of these foods is a significant source of saturated fat -- the major dietary culprit in high cholesterol. Trans fats are even worse; to limit them, avoid processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.


Butter
Red meat (beef, pork, lamb)
Poultry skin
Stick margarine
Fast foods (pizza, deep-fried foods, burgers, etc.)
Full-fat cheese
Canned shortening
Commercial donuts
Commercial cakes
Commercial cookies
Commercial pies
Ice cream
Whole- and 2%-fat milk
Bacon
Sausage
Coconut oil
Palm oil
Palm kernel oil


Low-Calorie, High-Fiber Winners

These foods are low in calories and high in fiber -- adding 6 grams of soluble fiber (one large orange and a cup of strawberries would do it) to your daily diet reduces harmful LDL cholesterol an average of 10 - 20%.

Pay attention to food color, too: Whole foods in a rich shade of red, orange, yellow or blue usually contain a health-promoting phytochemical.


Dark green leafy vegetables
Garlic and onions
Strawberries, citrus fruits, blueberries and other fruit of varying colors


Good Grains

Whole grains are rich in fiber; oatmeal's soluble fiber is especially efficient at lowering high LDL cholesterol.


Whole grains
Oatmeal
Oat bran


Good Fats

Use "good" fats in place of saturated fats -- nuts instead of cheese, olive oil instead of butter. But remember, even good fats have lots of calories, so don't overdo it. Gaining weight by itself can raise your blood cholesterol -- just as losing weight often lowers it.


Olive oil
Nuts and seeds
Avocados


Have A Drink On Us

Green tea and, to a lesser extent, black tea, contain antioxidants that guard LDL cholesterol from the free radicals that endanger your arteries. Many vegetables and fruits also contain LDL-protective antioxidants.

Alcohol in moderation typically raises levels of protective HDL cholesterol, though it doesn't lower harmful LDL. One drink a day lowers heart disease risk for a woman; two do the trick for a man. Red wine also contains beneficial antioxidants. Make sure that you account for the calories provided in alcohol -- at 20 calories an ounce, it adds up fast!


Green tea
Red wine


Elizabeth Ward is the co-author of Super Nutrition After 50.

Make the Perfect Salad All Miavita Features

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by Hope Warshaw, M.M.Sc., R.D., C.D.E.
Here are calorie counts for some of the most common choices available at salad bars. Use them as a rough guide when filling your plate.

Lowest-calorie vegetables (about 25 calories per 1 cup)

Bell peppers
Broccoli (raw)
Cabbage (red or green)
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Lettuce (all types)
Mushrooms
Radishes
Spinach
Sprouts (all types)
Summer squash (raw)
Zucchini (raw)
Low-calorie vegetables (about 25 calories per 1/2 cup)
Artichoke (not marinated)
Beets (canned or fresh cooked)
Carrots (raw)
Onions (raw)
Tomatoes (raw)
Starches (60 - 100 calories per serving)
Bread (1 slice)
1/3 cup chickpeas (a.k.a., garbanzo beans)
Crackers (4 - 6, medium size)
1/2 cup croutons
1/2 cup green peas
1/3 cup kidney beans
Lower-calorie protein (about 40 - 80 calories per oz.)
Chicken breast
Egg (sliced or cubed, not egg salad)
Feta cheese
Tuna (plain, not tuna salad)
Higher-calorie protein (approx. 100 or more calories per oz.)
Cheese (hard types)
Pepperoni
Pre-mixed items (about 35 - 50 calories per 1/4 cup)
Fresh or canned fruit
Gelatin with fruit
Marinated artichoke hearts, assorted vegetables and mushrooms
Marinated/pickled beets
Three-bean salad
High-calorie pre-mixed items (100 - 160 calories per 1/2 cup )
Corn relish
Fruit ambrosia
Macaroni salad
Salads mixed with mayonnaise: Tuna, chicken, egg, potato, pasta or seafood
Toppings (calories per tbsp.)
Chinese noodles: 20
Hot peppers: 2 - 5
Pickles: 2 - 5
Raisins: 32
Olives, green or black: 15
Peanuts: 53
Sesame seeds: 38
Sunflower seeds: 47


Salad Dressings: The Lowdown (per 2 tbsp.)*

The calories from any salad dressing - even light and fat-free - can add up quickly. Consider flavored vinegars as a tasty, healthier alternative. And while using olive oil ups the calories, it's a heart-healthy fat that can be used in moderation.

Calories* Carbohydrate (g) Fat (g)
Balsamic vinegar 19.5 5 0
Balsamic vinegar (2 tbsp.) and olive oil (1 tsp.) 62 5 5
Balsamic vinegar (2 tbsp.) and olive oil (1 tbsp.) 145 5 14

Blue Cheese, regular 154 2 16
French, regular 134 5 13
Italian, regular (oil-based) 137 3 14
Ranch, regular 150 2 16
Thousand Island, regular 118 5 11

Blue Cheese, lite 52 3 4
French, lite 63 10 3
Italian, lite 18 2 2
Ranch, lite 81 7 6
Thousand Island, lite 65 6 4

Blue Cheese, fat-free 43 10 0
French, fat-free 37 10 0
Italian, fat-free 10 2 0
Ranch, fat-free 42 9 0
Thousand Island, fat-free 45 11 0


*The information in this table is based on a composite sample of several of each type of salad dressing.

Tips: Salad Dressing
Always order dressing on the side so you can control how much you use.


Start with a small amount of dressing, spread it around and see if it's enough. Resist the urge to use more than you need or all that you're served. It's probably too much.


Request vinegar or lemon wedges on the side to add to a small amount of dressing and spread it over the salad.


Try the "fork and dip" technique. Some people find they use less if they just lightly dip a forkful of salad in the dressing.


Create a Healthy Salad*

Example #1

Calories Fat (g)
1 cup greens 10 0
3 slices cucumber 2 0
1/4 cup shredded carrots 12 0
1/4 cup mushrooms 12 0
1/4 cup bean sprouts 8 0
1/4 cup pickled beets 37 0
1/4 cup chickpeas 60 1
1 tbsp. feta cheese 25 2
1 tbsp. raisins 31 0
2 tbsp. Thousand Island dressing diluted with 118 11
Vinegar 0 0
Totals 315 14


Create a Healthy Salad*

Example #2

Calories Fat (g)
2 cups greens 20 0
1 cup spinach 6 0
1/3 cup raw broccoli 6 0
1/3 cup mushrooms 17 0
1/4 cup carrots 12 0
1/3 cup tomatoes 15 0
1/3 cup green peas 40 0
1/4 cup chopped egg 53 4
1 oz. shredded cheddar cheese 114 9
1/3 cup artichoke hearts 30 0
1/3 cup three-bean salad 42 3
1/4 cup pasta salad 68 4
2 tsp. sunflower seeds 31 3
2 tbsp. "lite" Italian dressing 18 2
2 tbsp. "lite" French dressing 63 3
Totals 535 28