Having high cholesterol or cholesterol that isn’t in the right ratio is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death in the United States. High cholesterol affects 38.1% of Americans, that’s more than 1 in 3! If you missed the post that really explains the importance of addressing your cholesterol, make sure you check out this post!
What Changes to Make
If you follow me, you know that I’m a huge proponent of Healthy Plate eating. If you’re doing this, you’re already on the right track. However, there are some specific recommendations if you need to take one thing at a time:
- Decrease your intake of foods that contain saturated fats
- Increase your intake of foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids
- Consume more foods that contain soluble fibers
- Eat more foods that contain whey protein
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats contain a high proportion of fatty acid molecules without double bonds. Practically speaking, they are oils/fats that are typically solid at room temperature–and make foods taste rich and delicious…lol. I know, I know. But we should have them in extreme moderation, because they when we have too many, our bodies don’t like it.
Foods containing lots of saturated fats:
- Red meat: beef, pork, lamb, etc
- Full fat dairy
- Butter
- Coconut oil
- Ice cream
- Chocolate
- Cheesecake
Limiting our whole fat dairy, red meat, and desserts drastically decreases our saturated fat intake. You can replace butter with oils such as olive or avocado oil.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
The Council of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that healthy adults consume between 250-500mg of EPA and DHA omega 3 fatty acids weekly. This is pretty easy to accomplish if you enjoy fish, since two servings of fatty fish weekly will typically get you there. These two types are superior to ALA omega 3 fatty acids, because ALA is a precursor for EPA and DHA omega 3s that is not efficiently converted to the other two types in humans.
Sources of EPA and DHA Omega 3 fatty acids:
- Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring
- Oysters
- Caviar
- Algae
- Grass-fed animals (beef, eggs from cage free chickens)–but much less so
Sources of ALA Omega 3 Fatty Acids:
- Walnuts
- Flaxseed
- Chia seed
- Soybeens
- Spinach
There are many foods that contain Omega 3 fatty acids, so you should be able to get them in, but if you can, go for the DHA, EPA sources. This article goes into much more detail about the levels of Omega 3 fatty acids found in certain foods.
Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is fiber that does what it sounds like–dissolves in water. You should be getting 25-30g of fiber daily, and roughly half of that should come from soluble fiber. Getting overly concerned with which fibers are soluble and which aren’t isn’t the point. Both are beneficial in their own way, so if you focus on eating the fruits and veggies on that healthy plate at every (or most) meals, you’ll be fine.
Foods high in soluble fibers:
- Black beans, lentils, edamame, chickpeas
- Chia seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds
- Oats and barley
- Hazelnuts
- Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, artichoke hearts
- Avocado, apples, pears, berries
Again, you don’t have to focus on these foods, but if you see something you like, know that it’s a great source.
Whey Protein
Whey protein is actually a milk protein that contains lots of branched-chain amino acids (building blocks for proteins/muscle in our bodies), functional peptides, and antioxidants. Hence it is mostly found in dairy. However, it is added to a few other foods, such as certain baked goods and salad dressings, some medical nutritional formulas and infant formulas, and in emulsifiers.
Trans Fat
Trans Fats are bad business. So bad, in fact, that the FDA banned them from foods in 2018. Any foods produced after 2018 do not contain trans-fat. However, you may still have some products produced prior to 2018, like vegetable shortening. Additionally, some processed baked goods and fried foods may still contain trans fats due to the way they are processed. You will want to check the label for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil–this will be your clue that a trans-fat is included.
What about foods containing cholesterol?
Studies have shown that eating cholesterol in your diet doesn’t necessarily correlate with high cholesterol in your blood. However, it is still recommended that certain populations, such as those with diabetes, continue to monitor the levels of cholesterol in their diets.
What about Eggs?
Yes, I have given eggs their own special category, because they are always causing problems in conversations about health. Eggs, specifically from cage free chickens, turn out to be okay. However, you should not consume eggs with yolks daily, as it is a source of saturated fat, and you want to be careful about that intake. Moderation is key–as with anything, you don’t want to overdo a good thing.
Remember, you do not have to do everything at once. One small change at a time will eventually get you there. I like to say that food can be medicine or poison–you get to decide one change at a time.