Bad Foods for High Cholesterol
Watching your cholesterol levels is important to reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular disorders. Certain types of foods cause your body to build up plaque in the arteries. Avoiding these foods and exercising will help you lower high cholesterol levels for a healthier body and longer life.
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Types of Cholesterol
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Low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides are the three main types of cholesterol found in your body. Not all cholesterol is bad for you. High-density lipoproteins are needed in your body for healthy circulation, building blocks for cell growth and a healthy heart.
Significance
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Changing your diet can help you increase your high-density lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins create a substance known as plaque that builds up on the artery walls and even around the heart, making your body work harder to circulate blood. Eating foods that increase bad cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease, stroke or heart attack.
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Benefits of Eating Different Foods
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Changing your diet to increase the amount of high-density lipoproteins will lower the total amount of bad cholesterol in your system. Eat foods that are high in Omega 3 acids. These acids take the plaque out of the arteries and lower the levels of bad cholesterol in your bloodstream. For example, eat baked salmon or tunafish instead of baked chicken or veal.
Saturated Fats
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Foods that are high in saturated fats increase the amount of low-density lipoproteins in your body. The primary culprits of saturated fats are foods from animals. Whole-milk dairy products should be avoided if you have high cholesterol. Switch to skim-milk or low-fat dairy products.
Processed meats are extremely high in bad cholesterol. Avoid hot dogs, bologna, sausage and salami. Substitute a non-processed meat item or food item.
Beef, veal and poultry are also high in saturated fats. Often, these foods are fried. Substitute fish or lean cuts of pork.
Organ meats are particularly high in saturated fats, regardless of the cooking method. Cut organ meats out of your diet completely. Avoid brains, intestines and livers to reduce your intake of saturated fats.
Breads and eggs are high in bad cholesterol. Eggs are a particularly bad culprit because they're used in baked items and as breakfast food. The yolk is the worst part of the egg. Substitute no-cholesterol egg beaters or egg whites when cooking or baking.
Oils
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Switch your cooking oils and margarine to ones that specifically state no-cholesterol or low-cholesterol. Olive oil and canola oils are good for cooking. Avoid fried foods of any type. Palm, palm kernel and coconut oils are the highest in cholesterol and saturated fats. These should be taken out of your diet entirely.
Hydrogenated oils become solid at room temperature and oil when heated. For example, lard is hydrogenated oil. The hydrogenated oils are often used in deep frying and baking. Read food labels and completely avoid any products containing hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenated oil is the hardest food ingredient for your body to process and contributes significantly to triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins.
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