The Goal of a Low Cholesterol Diet

If you're interested in diets that lower cholesterol, you might be wondering what kinds of numbers you should be shooting for when you have your cholesterol checked. Here are some guidelines. These numbers will help you understand cholesterol-lowering diets a little better.

Recent research indicates your cholesterol level should be below 180. If you creep up over 180 but stay below 200, you're probably still okay, but if it goes above 200, especially if you go above 220, it's time to start looking at some low cholesterol diets.

But there's another number that's important: the so called "good cholesterol" number. Good cholesterol is your high density lipoprotein measurement. This is also known as HDL. This is the type that's called good cholesterol because it flushes out the fats and "bad cholesterol" that clogs up your system.

Your goal is to get your HDL level above 35. Above 50 is even better.

That's why you need to know about antioxidants and certain fatty acids. These foods raise your HDL whle reducing your LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels. LDL stands for low density lipoproteins. This is the type of cholesterol that sticks to your artery walls and causes coronary artery disease.

LDL becomes almost toxic when it is oxidized. So foods that fight the body's natural oxidation processes (which take place during cell formation) can help reduce LDL's bad effects. Nutrients like vitamins C and E, beta carotene and lycopene are among the best of these.

Many nutritionists highly recommend certain fruits like blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.

Essential fatty acids are necessary fats that humans cannot synthesize, and must be obtained through diet. Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, improve the performance of the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems. Our cells need EFAs to obtain optimum nutrition and expel harmful waste products.

EFAs include cold pressed oils like flax seed, lecithin, GLA from borage seed, nuts and seeds.

A type of fatty acid known as Omega 3 has been in the nutritional news a lot lately, and for good reason. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown by research to be especially heart healthy and helpful in keeping cholesterol levels low.

Many kinds of fish offer high levels of Omega 3. They're a good source of protein and don't contain the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do. Fish like albacore tuna, herring, lake trout, mackerel, sardines and salmon are especially high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Other foods and drinks that raise HDL include olive oil and red wine, although alcohol has some well known disadvantages, so so be careful with this one.

Getting regular physicals and blood cholesterol readings will help you monitor your HDL and LDL or good and bad cholesterol. You can then choose among the many cholesterol lowering diets that are available to keep your levels where they should be.

Need to know more about low cholesterol diets? 
Type a related keyword into the search box below.