Good VS Bad Cholesterol and What Do I Eat?

There are often a few different values we see when we have a lipid panel drawn:

   -Total Cholesterol: (The sum of our "good" and "bad" cholesterol)

   -LDL Cholesterol (low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol; the "bad" cholesterol)

   -HDL Cholesterol (high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol; the "good" cholesterol)

   -Cholesterol/HDL Ratio: (Essentially our PAC-man-to-dot ratio)

      -Think of the Ratio as this - Do you have your setting on easy, medium, or hard mode?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a wealth of information and suggestions for reducing and managing cholesterol.  Here are some ideas they have to get you started that they allow to be replicated.  However, I am always available for a more individualized approach as well!

A heart-healthy diet is recommended to reduce your unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, manage high blood pressure, and lower your risk for heart disease.

To follow a heart-healthy diet,

• Eat a balanced diet with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein sources.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Limit saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol intake. Eat more plant-based or vegetarian meals using beans and soy foods for protein.
• Eat whole, unprocessed foods to limit the amount of sodium (salt) you eat.
• Limit refined carbohydrates, especially sugar, sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages.
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation: one serving per day (women) and two servings per day (men).
  • One serving is equivalent to 12 ounces beer, 5 ounces wine, or 1.5 ounces distilled spirits

Tips for Choosing Heart-Healthy Fats

Choose lean protein and low-fat dairy foods to reduce saturated fat intake.

• Saturated fat is usually found in animal-based protein and is associated with certain health risks. Saturated fat is the biggest contributor to raised low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the diet. Research shows that limiting saturated fat lowers unhealthy cholesterol levels. Eat no more than 5-6% of your total calories each day from saturated fat. Ask your registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) to help you determine how much saturated fat is right for you.
• There are many foods that do not contain large amounts of saturated fats. Swapping these foods to replace foods high in saturated fats will help you limit the saturated fat you eat and improve your cholesterol levels. You can also try eating more plant-based or vegetarian meals.

Avoid trans fats.

• Trans fats increase levels of LDL-cholesterol. Hydrogenated fat in processed foods is the main source of trans fats in foods. 
• Trans fats can be found in stick margarine, shortening, processed sweets, baked goods, some fried foods, and packaged foods made with hydrogenated oils. Avoid foods with “partially hydrogenated oil” on the ingredient list such as: cookies, pastries, baked goods, biscuits, crackers, microwave popcorn, and frozen dinners.
• Mary's Tip > While they are supposed to be banned in America, due to a loophole, companies can still label foods as "trans fat free" if they are 0.5g or less of trans fats per serving, so look on the ingredient list for those "partially hydrogenated oils" to make sure you avoid them

Choose foods with heart healthy fats.

• Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat are unsaturated fats that may help lower your blood cholesterol level when used in place of saturated fat in your diet.
• Ask your RDN about taking a dietary supplement with plant sterols and stanols to help lower your cholesterol level.
• Research shows that substituting saturated fats with unsaturated fats is beneficial to cholesterol levels. Try these easy swaps:

Tips for Choosing Heart-Healthy Carbohydrates

Consume foods rich in viscous (soluble) fiber

• Viscous, or soluble, fiber is found in the walls of plant cells. Viscous fiber is found only in plant-based foods—animal-based foods like meat or dairy products do not contain fiber. In the stomach, viscous fibers absorb water and swell to form a thick, jelly-like mass. This helps to lower your unhealthy cholesterol
  • Rich sources of viscous fiber include asparagus, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, turnips, apricots, mangoes, oranges, legumes, barley, oats, and oat bran.
• Eat at least 5 to 10 grams of viscous fiber each day. As you increase your fiber intake gradually, also increase the amount of water you drink. This will help prevent constipation.
• If you have difficulty achieving this goal, ask your RDN about fiber laxatives. Choose fiber supplements made with viscous fibers such as psyllium seed husks or methylcellulose to help lower unhealthy cholesterol.

Limit refined carbohydrates

• There are three types of carbohydrates: starches, sugar, and fiber. Some carbohydrates occur naturally in food, like the starches in rice or corn or the sugars in fruits and milk. Refined carbohydrates—foods with high amounts of simple sugars—can raise triglyceride levels. High triglyceride levels are associated with coronary heart disease.

• Some examples of refined carbohydrate foods are table sugar, sweets, and beverages sweetened with added sugar.

Tips for Reducing Sodium (Salt)

Although sodium is important for your body to function, too much sodium can be harmful for people with high blood pressure.  As sodium and fluid buildup in your tissues and bloodstream, your blood pressure increases. High blood pressure may cause damage to other organs and increase your risk for a stroke.

Keep your salt intake to 2300 milligrams or less per day. Even if you take a pill for blood pressure or a water pill (diuretic) to remove fluid, it is still important to have less salt in your diet. Ask your RDN what amount of sodium is right for you.

• Avoid processed foods.  Eat more fresh foods.
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium, as well as frozen vegetables and fruits that have no added juices or sauces.
  • Fresh meats are lower in sodium than processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, and hotdogs.  Read the nutrition label or ask your butcher to help you find a fresh meat that is low in sodium.
• Eat less salt—at the table and when cooking.
  • A single teaspoon of table salt has 2,300 mg of sodium.
  • Leave the salt out of recipes for pasta, casseroles, and soups.
  • Ask your RDN how to cook your favorite recipes without sodium
• Be a smart shopper.
  • Look for food packages that say “salt-free” or “sodium-free.” These items contain less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving.
  • “Very low-sodium” products contain less than 35 milligrams of sodium per serving.
  • “Low-sodium” products contain less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving. 
  • Beware of “reduced salt” or "reduced sodium" products.  These items may still be high in sodium. Check the nutrition label.
•  Add flavors to your food without adding sodium.
  • Try lemon juice, lime juice, fruit juice or vinegar.  
  • Dry or fresh herbs add flavor. Try basil, bay leaf, dill, rosemary, parsley, sage, dry mustard, nutmeg, thyme, and paprika.
  • Pepper, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper can add spice to your meals without adding sodium. Hot sauce contains sodium, but if you use just a drop or two, it will not add up to much.
• Buy a sodium-free seasoning blend or make your own at home.
  • Mary's Tip > The original Mrs. Dash isn't great, but the alternative flavors are pretty good for seasoning dishes

Foods to Choose or to Limit