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Curbing Cholesterol
We all know that keeping an eye on our dietary cholesterol is important; after all, high blood cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease, heart attack and stroke. The good news is that making lifestyle changes, including adopting a healthy diet can help reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease, says Patricia Groziak, M.S., R.D. and senior lead nutrition manager, USA, for Unilever. When it comes to improving unhealthy cholesterol levels, which foods should you avoid?
The Bad
Health experts agree that saturated fats and trans fats are the main dietary causes of high cholesterol. So it’s important to cut back on foods high in saturated fats such as fatty and processed meats, cheese, butter and whole milk, as well as foods that contain trans fats, such as stick margarine, fried foods, such as french fries, and commercially-made pastries, pies and snack products.
The Good
On the other hand, foods that contain plant sterols, which are found naturally in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, can help to maintain lower cholesterol levels. Because it can be difficult to get the amount of plant sterols you need from food sources, look for foods that have been enriched, like Promise® active Spread (1g of plant sterols per serving) and Promise® SuperShots® for cholesterol (2g of plant sterols per serving). Experts recommend consuming plant sterols twice a day with meals; aim for two grams of plant sterols daily.*
Simple Switches
Here are a few heart-healthy substitutions to get you started.| Instead of: | Use: | |
| Whole milk | Skim or low-fat milk | |
| Whole-milk cheese | Low-fat, fat-free or part-skim cheese | |
| Croissants | Oat bran or whole-grain bagel | |
| Fried chicken | Roasted chicken | |
| Butter | Soft spread |
*Foods containing at least 0.4 grams per serving of plant sterols eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
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