A Low Fat and Low Cholesterol Diet

Diet is extremely important when it comes to lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol. Bad cholesterol is also called LDL cholesterol and should be kept at 100 or lower for optimal heart health. Good cholesterol is called HDL cholesterol and should be kept at a level of 50 to 60. What you eat can make a big difference in your numbers, so watch your diet carefully. There are foods you should definitely avoid, and foods you should include. First, let's take a look at the worst foods you can eat -- those with trans and saturated fats.

Foods filled with trans and saturated fats are foods that many people think of as their favorites. Fast food cheeseburgers, greasy pizza piled with cheese, French fries, egg yolks and red meat are all examples of foods laden with unhealthy fats. Anything cooked in lard or shortening should be avoided. When you eliminate foods like these from your diet, you are doing yourself several favors. First, you are lowering the amount of bad cholesterol that you're taking in. You are also reducing the amount of calories and fat you're consuming. This can help you lose weight and achieve better total body health.

Once you've gotten rid of the bad stuff, it's time to replace it with healthier choices. Fruits and vegetables eaten raw, baked, broiled or steamed are fantastic for everyone. Fiber in the form of whole grains is also essential for good health and lower cholesterol. Choose grains like oatmeal and wheat germ for the very best results. When it comes to dairy, always go for skim, lowfat or fat-free choices. If you must have eggs, eat the whites only and throw out the yolks. Extra virgin olive oil is the very best cooking oil you can use, and olives themselves are also quite healthy. Many experts believe eating a Mediterranean diet containing whole grains, fish, olive oil, vegetables and red wine can be beneficial. When eating meat, go for skinless chicken and fish that's been baked, steamed or broiled.

You may be wondering where a cholesterol lowering diet leaves your sweet tooth. While you don't want to indulge in cakes and cookies which are full of sugar, fat and bad cholesterol, you can enjoy your choice of fruit. Try pairing mixed berries with lowfat vanilla yogurt for a delicious treat. You can even use lowfat chocolate syrup as a dipping sauce for berries. Blueberries are said to be the very healthiest of all fruits because they contain a high level of antioxidant. Many experts think that dark chocolate is good for the heart as well. Make sure the chocolate you choose has at least 70 percent cacao and keep consumption to one ounce or less per day.