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Low Cholesterol Diet Menus can be Tasty as well as Healthy
When some hear the words, "low fat" or "low cholesterol," they automatically think of a bland and boring diet plan. Fortunately for all of us who are interested in maintaining healthy bodies, this idea that tasteless equals boring is not even remotely accurate. You can find many low cholesterol diet menus that offer tasty dishes made up of interesting foods and spices. The important thing to remember if you are checking out low cholesterol diet menus is to find some foods that you enjoy eating, because this will make it much easier to stick with your nutrition plan.
Foods to Include in your Low Cholesterol Diet Menu
A low cholesterol diet menu will include foods that are low in fat as well as sodium. Sometimes modifying your diet will mean giving up certain foods that are simply not going to fit in a low cholesterol diet menu, but it also means making substitutions of low fat choices over the foods that are higher in fat. For example, you can switch your whole milk dairy products with skim milk and low fat varieties. Change your red meat dishes to those containing lean meats like fish and poultry. You can also replace some of the meat in your diet with a vegetarian dish that uses beans as the bulk of the recipe. You will be losing fat and gaining fiber - it's a win, win!
A low cholesterol diet menu should include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish and beans. Oats are a good source of grain in a low cholesterol diet menu, so feel free to enjoy a hot bowl of oatmeal every morning. You can also include foods like nuts and flaxseeds, along with common cooking oils like sunflower and safflower. You can enjoy some meats in this diet plan, as long as they are lean cuts of beef and poultry without the skin.
Foods to Avoid in your Low Cholesterol Diet Menu
Yes, there are some "no-no's" in a menu for a low cholesterol diet. Foods that are high in saturated fats will not only raise your cholesterol levels, they will pack on the pounds as well. Studies show that people that are overweight tend to have higher cholesterol levels. To maintain your healthy diet and weight, avoid processed meats like bologna, sausage and hot dogs. You should also stay away from dairy products that are made with whole milk, opting instead for selections of the low fat variety. Most processed and snack foods are high in saturated fats, such as chips, candy bars and most items from the bakery shelves. The good news is that if you fill your diet with tasty and healthy fare, you will eventually lose your taste for some of these less healthy, processed foods.
If your cholesterol is on the high side, why don't you try a low cholesterol diet menu to offer yourself a healthy alternative to the high fat foods that most of us fill our pantries with? You might be surprised at how much better you feel, and your doctor will most definitely be happy to see your cholesterol numbers drop.
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