High cholesterol puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke. If you have high cholesterol, learn how a low-fat diet can improve your heart health.
Have High Cholesterol? A Low-Fat Diet May Help
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 805,000 Americans have a heart attack every year, and nearly that many have a stroke. One common cause is high cholesterol. Along with regular exercise, a low-fat diet can help get your cholesterol levels under control.
How Cholesterol Works
Cholesterol helps your body build cells and make hormones. However, cholesterol can't move through your body on its own. It needs help from lipoproteins. Two types of lipoproteins take center stage when discussing high cholesterol and low-fat diets:
- High-density lipoproteins (HDL): Also called "good" cholesterol, HDL cholesterol transfers cholesterol to your liver, where it gets removed from your blood.
- Low-density lipoproteins (LDL): Known as "bad" cholesterol, LDL cholesterol drops off cholesterol at different parts of your body.
Your body naturally produces enough LDL cholesterol for good health. Eating certain foods raises your levels of LDL, leaving you with more cholesterol than you need. When this happens, you have high cholesterol. The excess cholesterol sticks to your arteries and makes it hard for blood to pass through – eventually causing heart disease.
Beware of High-Fat Foods
Saturated and trans fats increase your risk for high cholesterol numbers and heart disease. If you want to avoid or treat high cholesterol, a low-fat diet can help. A heart-healthy, low-fat diet starts by knowing what foods to avoid.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
- High-fat dairy products (cheese, butter and cream)
- Red meat
- Tropical oils, such as palm and coconut oil
Trans fats exist in low levels in some animal products, but it more commonly appears in processed foods as partially hydrogenated oil. On top of raising your bad cholesterol, trans fats lower your good cholesterol levels. They may be found in the following:
- Certain baked goods, such as cookies and pizza dough
- Fast food
- Fried foods
- Processed foods, such as margarine
Treat High Cholesterol With a Low-Fat Diet
Whether you want to prevent or treat high cholesterol, a low-fat diet can help. To get started, avoid the foods listed above. Instead, get most of your daily calories come from the following:
- Plant-based food: Whole-grain foods, beans and other legumes, and many fruits provide a good dose of fiber. Fiber helps you feel full longer. It also reduces the amount of cholesterol your body absorbs. As a result, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help lower your cholesterol levels. Using olive oil regularly seems to do the same.
- Fatty fish: Salmon, striped bass and sardines are three fatty fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids. By eating fatty fish several times each week, you can raise your good cholesterol levels. This helps your body get rid of bad cholesterol.
- Lean meats: Trade out your high-fat steak for leaner, healthier options, such as skinless chicken or turkey.