A sample diet to lower cholesterol is important to determine how your body will respond to various cholesterol-lowering techniques suggested by experts. Basically, a sample diet to lower cholesterol involves avoiding certain foods while increasing the intake of others. Combining these techniques can lead to significant decreases in blood cholesterol levels, even reaching up to 20%.
1. Breakfast
A good breakfast for your sample diet to lower cholesterol should include oatmeal or oat bran and fruits. You can alternate it with cereal and low-fat milk or whole grain products, such as wheat bread. If you use butter or margarine, you may want to replace it with sterol-fortified margarine, instead. For the drinks, you can take sterol-fortified juices, skim milk or water. Vitamin supplement may also be taken in the morning.
2, Lunch
Your lunch for a sample diet to lower cholesterol should include the fatty fish, such as tuna, mackerel or salmon, which is broiled, steamed or grilled. It can be alternated with lean meat, with fat less than 10%, or skinned poultry. These must be prepared with minimal cooking oil, such as canola oil. You may opt to combine them with rice or whole grain bread, and vegetables. Fresh or canned fruits, or low-fat yogurt, may be taken for dessert.
3. Snacks
Health snacks that you can include in your sample diet to lower cholesterol include unsalted nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, and seeds, such as sunflower seed. Soy products, such as soy burger, are also healthy alternatives for regular snacks.
4. Dinner
Dinner for a sample diet to lower cholesterol should be somewhat similar to lunch. You can start off with a low-calorie salad combined with a low-fat dressing. You can then alternate between fish, lean meat and skinned poultry. Experts recommend at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
This is an overview of what a sample diet to lower cholesterol should contain. Knowing the principle behind the diet is the most important thing. This enables you to alter your diet and give variety to it.
