Cooking to Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is perhaps one of the most regulated fats in the body and its levels need to be watched. This is because cholesterol can create a hard calcium-like buildup in the arteries, which can create blockage and possibly lead to a heart attack or a stroke. Therefore, cooking to lower cholesterol is very important if you have elevated cholesterol levels, as are the foods that you choose to eat in the first place.

There are a number of cooking alternatives that that can be effective means of lowering cholesterol. For example, it is best to greatly reduce the amount of fried foods that are consumed, as they are laden with saturated fats and unfriendly heart blockers. Fried foods increase cholesterol levels. Instead of frying, there are a number of healthier alternatives, such as grilling, broiling or baking in the oven. You will save a large number of calories by cooking this way as well as reducing fat which is kinder to the heart as well as the waistline.

Instead of cooking vegetables with butter try steaming them and sprinkling with fresh herbs. The herbs will enhance the flavor without affecting the nutritional value.

Also, when cooking to lower cholesterol you should cut down on sodium. Gradually reduce the salt you add to foods over a period of time. That way your taste buds will get used to the different flavors until you will be able to cut out adding salt completely. Many foods have added salt so read labels carefully. Vegetables that are canned, for example, can contain high amounts of sodium, as can breakfast cereals. If at all possible, you can take take this a step further and eat raw fruit and vegetables as much as possible. This is an even healthier approach to eating foods and keeping cholesterol levels low.

Top Tips For Cooking To Lower Cholesterol - Choose lean cuts of meat and trim off fat before cooking. - Eat chicken, turkey and fish more often as these are lower in fat than meat. - Remove all skin from poultry. - Grill, steam, poach, bake, braise, microwave or casserole instead of frying or roasting. - Use polyunsaturated margarine instead of butter. - Replace ordinary hard cheeses with low-fat or reduced-fat varieties. - Skim off fat from stews and soups by removing it with absorbent kitchen paper or, allow the dish to cool and remove the fat with a spoon. - Check food labels for fat and sodium content and try an stick to dishes with less than 5 grams fat per serving.

Sue Burchill writes about a number of health topics from a lay person's perspective. Visit her site to learn more about loweringcholesterolhelp.com/how-to-lower-your-cholesterol how to lower your cholesterol Discover what is a loweringcholesterolhelp.com/cholesterol-hdl-ratio cholesterol hdl ratio, as well as the different types of cholesterol, treatment for high cholesterol, what is a low cholesterol food, how your diet effects your cholesterol levels and much more.