Eat Less High-fat Food , Reduce the total fat intake:
This is most important and primarily to be done. This is one of the effective ways to eat less saturated fat because fat is considered to be richest source of calories. By this means, one will reduce the number of calories consumption by taking less fat diet. If a person is obese or overweight, weight loss is another most important factor in lowering the blood cholesterol levels. If one is not obese, they should be sure to replace the fat-calories by having more food which are high in complex carbohydrates. It is remembered that, when one decreases the amount of total fat consumption, they are likely to reduce the calories and saturated fats in diet.
Trans Fatty Acids or Trans Fats or Hydrogenated Fats:
These are generated during the food manufacturing. In this, cheap vegetable oils undergo the process called as hydrogenation. The hydrogen is added to make food items solid and less likely to become rancid. Trans fats are worse for the heart than the saturated fats, as they are susceptible to cause the atherosclerosis.
Dietary Fat:
This is divided into two categories, unsaturated and saturated. Unsaturated are again divided further as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Together, both the fats equal total fat. All foods those are containing fat are a mixture of these fats.
Saturated Fats:
These fats raise the blood cholesterol more than anything else in our diet. The best way to reduce the blood cholesterol levels is to lower down the intake of saturated fats one eat.
Animal fats:
These are the products which are major source of saturated fats in the average of most of the present diet. Cheese, butter, ice creams, whole milk and cream of all origins contain high amounts of saturated fats. Saturated fat is also present in the fat that surrounds the meat and in white streaks of fat in muscles of the meat. Fish, shellfish and poultry also contain saturated fats, although generally lesser than meat.
Vegetable fats:
There are few vegetables fats including cocoa butter (one which is found in chocolate), palm kernel oil, coconut oil are high in saturated fats. Vegetables fats are fond in so many baked goods like crackers and cookies, whipped toppings, cake mixes, frozen dinners and coffee creamers. Some snacks like candy bars, buttered popcorn, chips etc also contains saturated fats. One has to look at the label because it is wrong though that vegetables are calorie less, where as they are not because of additives. Saturated fats are primarily found in animal products, but few vegetable fats and many commercially made foods also have saturated fats.
The substitute for Saturated Fats:
It is believed that unsaturated fat actually helps lowering down the cholesterol levels when it is substituted for the saturated fats. Hence, the dietician recommends that when one eats fats, unsaturated fats be substitute4d for part of the saturated fats as much as possible.
Polyunsaturated fats are found mainly in corn, soybean, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower and sesame oils. They are also present in most salad dressings. Commercially prepared salad dressings could be high in saturated fats and hence need attention. The word “hydrogenated” reviles that some of the polyunsaturated fats are converted into saturated fats.
Another type of polyunsaturated fat is present in the oils of shellfish and fish. They are also known as omega-3 fatty acids or fish oils. There is an evidence that omega-3 fatty acids are useful reducing LDL cholesterol levels but little.
Canola or olive oils are some examples which are high in monounsaturated fats. These oils are used for salad dressings and for cooking as well. Latest research shows that substituting monounsaturated fats may reduce the blood cholesterol levels.
Eat less high-cholesterol foods
The cholesterol (dietary) is a fat-like waxy substance found in animal origin foods. However, it is not the same as saturated fat, dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol levels. Hence, it is important to lower down the food intake which is high in cholesterol. The liver makes enough cholesterol when the body needs it for normal functioning.
Dietary cholesterol in food:
Cholesterol can be found in eggs, poultry, meat, dairy products, shellfish and fish. Organ meats and egg yolks are rich sources of cholesterol. Poultry, meat, high-fat dairy products have similar amounts of cholesterols. Foods of plant origin like fruits, cereals, nuts, grains, seeds contain almost nil cholesterol.
The substitute for saturated fats:
Pasta, rice, cereals, breads, dried peas and beans, vegetables and fruits are good sources of complex carbohydrates i.e. fiber and starch. One can also go for oat, barley bran, apples, oranges and some dried beans help reducing the total blood cholesterols.
Ayurveda recommends all the food that is Kapha Dosha aggravators are to be avoided. This includes excess amount of fatty food like milk, cheese, oily and spicy food. Ayurveda doesn’t favor non-vegetarian food in this category. Adding jowar or bajra instead of wheat and rice may help getting rid of high cholesterol. Light diet is to be adopted. Salads and fruit juices can be replaced to coffee or tea.
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