Lowering your dietary intake of cholesterol is recommended to maintain overall good health. Here are a few dietary precepts you would need to follow.

In as much as possible, avoid the following food groups.

Any kind of fat, especially the saturated fat. All foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (most margarines and baked goods. Egg yolks, butter, whole milk, cheese made from whole milk, sour cream and other similar dairy products. Vegetable oil and cooking lard. Red meat, beef in particular, depending whether the cut is lean or not. Alcohol. Refined sugar and flour and any products derived from it.

Most animal fats and hydrogenated fats are solid at room temperature, and have more of the LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol. These fats, otherwise called “trans fats” are the dietary equivalent of evil – a must to avoid. Look carefully on the ingredients label for the words, ‘hydrogenated,’ or ‘trans fats.’ Examples of foods rich in trans fat include convenience store foods or fast food items, chips, cakes, cookies and pies. In addition, these foods are also inundated with refined sugars and flours (in most cases), which means a double dose of bad news for your cholesterol statistics.

Try these foods instead.

Fruits and vegetables, most of which are cholesterol-free, and which help lower cholesterol levels. Whole grains, including bread and cereal products. Low-fat milk or skim milk, sour cream and cheese with low fat content and yogurt. EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil – or canola oil. Chicken, turkey and fish. Nuts. Garlic. Margerines made of plant sterol esters, which help to lower cholesterol levels.

Moreover, foods that are rich in fiber are capable of helping eradicate the intestines’ cholesterol content, or at least absorb and minimize it. Whole grains, legumes, nuts and of course fruits and vegetables are great examples of foods with high fiber content. Some fruits, such as citrus, apples, cranberries and blackberries are high in pectin, and are particularly good at reducing cholesterol levels.

Now Comes the Hard Part…

A change of lifestyle and eating habits can be very, very hard, especially if the habits are habits acquired over a lifetime. But great things start with small beginnings, and that is where you want to start your paradigm shift. To use one quick example, you can start with a short-term objective, such as eating only low-fat dairy and whole grain breads. Now try something after that, once your palate is more comfortable and attuned to the taste of low-fat dairy and whole grain, such as adding fruits and vegetables to your meals. Next, try eliminating soda pops, exchanging them for water and sugar-free, noncarbonated drinks.

Refined flours and sugars are, for majority of people, the most difficult foods to say goodbye and good riddance to. Let us admit it, that “sugar rush” one gets from eating refined sugars and flours helps enhance our perspicacity and awareness, but at the end of the day, it is akin to a placebo. A first step may be switching to whole grain flours, and then switching from sugar to sucralose, such as Splenda sweetener.

Make each step small and be patient, waiting for the change to become easy. It may take a year or two, but eventually, persistence will pay off, and a new healthier diet will be habit.

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