Oat bran, rice, sugar, oat clusters...cereal. The list is taken from a popular commercial brand. Did one thing strike you? Sugar, yes. Comes in 3rd, which means that you've got more added sugar than oat clusters in that box. It's common practice among commercial brands: tons of added sugar.
Another trick they try to hide this sugar is by breaking it up into "different" sugars: sugar, fructose, glucose, glucose-fructose, high fructose corn syrup, and corn syrup. They like to do this so they can put an ingredient, like oats, that sounds better than sugar first. In fact, if you add all the sugars together, it may constitute the majority of the food product.
Try to avoid products with long ingredient lists. My favorite is orange juice with this list: orange juice concentrate. The purer the food is, the better. Preservatives, chemicals, and added sugars are the main culprits of long ingredients lists due to their complex names and sometimes appearing in more than one form.
ACTION STEP 5 Take a look at your two favorite foods again. Review their ingredient lists and see how "pure" their ingredients are - look for hidden sugars and see if it really belongs in your food.
ACTION STEP 5 Find the 5 foods that have the most unnecessarily added sugar. Try to substitute these foods with added-sugar free versions or one with better ingredients.
Whats food got to do with high cholesterol? Everything!
Before a discussion of a specific diet ensues, be aware that your cholesterol level could also be genetic. So give up the notion you were somehow responsible, and get on with a healthy, low fat diet.
Prepare a menu you will enjoy. Keep in high in protein and low in fat, if possible. Allow a dessert on the weekends only, as a reward. Cut out snacks, especially at night.
Utilize portion control; along with smaller dinner plates. Perhaps instead of three meals a day; eat four or five meals a day, proportionally prepared, of course.
If you crave sweets, try non-fat chocolate. Or you can buy a can of fat free whipped cream and add a dollop to a cup of Jell-O.
Stay away from fast foods; Trans fat is a definite health hazard. Use extra virgin olive oil; fish with omega 3 oils; and lots of leafy green vegetables.
Experiment with different food groups. Have salads with roasted chicken; turkey burgers with lettuce and tomato; cereal with berries and skim milk; angel hair pasta with broccoli; beans and escarole; you get the idea!
It may be that most of the foods you consume are acceptable; except you probably eat too much of it. Examine your eating habits and try to come up with a better solution.
Your food doesn't have to be bland or mediocre; you can use herbs and spices to put zing into your meals, making them flavorful and delicious at the same time.
Exercise often; every other day if possible. This plays a vital role in reducing your cholesterol in combination with an appropriate diet regimen.
If you run out of ideas, check the hundreds of sites online that offer low fat recipes. Remember, variety is the spice of life.
When all else fails, try a diet plan such as NutriSystem. They have prepackaged foods utilizing portion control, and you won't have to worry taking time to prepare your breakfast, lunch or dinner menus. Just place your order with them, depending upon the type of diet which fits you best, and the meals are delivered to your door. How easy is that?
While it's true we need food to sustain us; it is also true we can eat sensible and well-portioned meals without going overboard.
Both Robert D. Thomson & Patricia Zelkovsky are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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