We are very busy persons: we have things to do, problems to solve, people to talk to and it seems that we stopped having enough time to eat. More and more often full course meals get replaced for quicker snacks. Snacking does not necessarily represent a bad thing. Snacks are normal for a body that consumes its inner energy for its daily activities and needs to accumulate more strength. Eating wrong foods for snacks is causing you trouble like increasing cholesterol level. It is the snacks high in carbohydrates and fats that are causing you an elevated cholesterol and weight gain. This situation will eventually lead to heart disease, heart attacks and diabetes.

In order to reduce cholesterol level, you must pay attention to what you eat and how you eat. Here are a few basic rules that you have to follow if you need to reduce cholesterol, basically if you want to have a healthy diet.

Rule Nr.1

Cut back on foods rich in saturated fat like animal meats (red meat) and fried foods. Try eating more often ‘white meat’ meaning chicken, turkey or fish as these kinds of foods have a low fat level.

Rule Nr. 2

If you want to reduce cholesterol level, you need to eat more vegetables and fruits. There are never too many fruits or vegetables in an alimentation process. These foods present the advantage of having a low calories and fat level, but, above all, they contain a broad number of vitamins and antioxidants that are helping your body fight cellular damage.

Rule Nr. 3

Try eating low fat dairy products. They may not be as tasty as the regular ones, but they surely reduce cholesterol.

Rule Nr. 4

You don’t need to give up eating dressings or gravies. You just have to reduce their quantity in your alimentation. Therefore you should start serving them aside to make sure you control the amount you’re eating. You can even buy low fat dips.

Rule Nr. 5

Pay attention to how you cook your food. Stop using partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (found in margarines and shortenings) as they contain trans-fatty acids, a form of fat that is raising cholesterol level. Cookies, candies and chips also contain these trans-fatty acids, so be careful. Grilling your food instead of frying it will surely help you reduce cholesterol.

Rule Nr. 6

Carbohydrates give you quick energy as they are converted into sugar in your body, but they are also causing you weight gain and high glucose level that will eventually lead to diabetes. They also lower your HDL level. So be careful at carbohydrates. Whole grain products are low in flour and high in fiber, minerals and vitamins so eating them will reduce cholesterol and make you healthier.

Rule Nr. 7

If you are badly craving for a snack, have some nuts and seeds. They contain unsaturated fats that are lowering the LDL level (bad cholesterol) which eventually reduce total cholesterol level. Nuts and seeds also give you vitamin E, B (which will help you have a healthy shiny hair and strong nails) and minerals.

These rules may make you think like there is no fun in eating anymore. Keep in mind that you don’t have to give up on ‘wrong’ foods for good. You just have to eat healthy and with moderation. And once in a while you are allowed to indulge yourself with a moderate amount of your favorite ‘not-so-healthy’ snack.