Cooking for a Low Cholesterol Diet

Cooking for a Low Cholesterol Diet

High cholesterol levels require a number of lifestyle changes, including modifying your diet. 

To do this, a slight change in the way you cook may be necessary.

Cooking for a low cholesterol diet is not difficult, but you will have to use some different techniques and food choices to keep you heart healthy. 

In general with cooking, baking, broiling, grilling, even microwaving will help control the amount of saturated fat in your food.

A light stir-fry or sauté is acceptable, but only with a controlled amount of oil. In addition, limit the amount of high-saturated fat products in your house and stock up on alternatives such as herbs or wine.

Another component to a low cholesterol diet is lean meat and poultry. When cooking meat and poultry, you can reduce the saturated fat in meat by trimming off all of the fat you see.

Also, instead of frying, try to broil, roast, or bake the meat. If you roast or bake, try using a rack to drain off the fat so that you do not end up consuming this with the meat.

Wine, lemon juice, vinegar, or a fat-free or low-fat oil marinade can help with keeping the meat moist while adding a wonderful flavor.

Do you love your stews and soups? Cook these the day before and refrigerate; this allows the fat to rise to the top and harden, which you can remove before reheating.

A key part of cooking for a low cholesterol diet is a variety of fruits and vegetables. Look for fresh fruits that you can use as snacks or chop up and freeze for later.

With vegetables, you have to remember to limit your sodium intake. To flavor vegetables then, use herbs and spices. You can buy already mixed seasonings in the grocery store - such as Italian herb seasonings, which includes oregano, rosemary, basil, and other tasty herbs.  Moreover, parsley, cilantro, and chives can offer unique flavors.

When you cook vegetables, use a small amount of vegetable oil or a vegetable oil spray. If you find you need more liquid, use water instead of oil.

Also, if you must use oils in your cooking, try not to use margarine or salted butter, as these are both high in saturated fats and sodium - a double combination of bad foods for a low cholesterol diet.

These are just a few cooking tips for cooking for a low Cholesterol diet your new diet.

Though it may take a little more time to prepare and cook than simply frying up some meat and veggies, the food will not only taste better, but improve your heart health.