Spotlight on... cholesterol

Cutting back on saturated fats and introducing some key ingredients to your diet can help lower levels of bad cholesterol. Nutritionist Jo Lewin explains what cholesterol is, what your target levels should be and recipes to help you eat smart...

What to eat and what to avoid

If you suspect or are diagnosed with having unhealthy levels of cholesterol, consult your doctor on the changes you should make to your lifestyle and the foods you should eat and avoid. As a general guideline, the following foods are believed to either promote healthy cholesterol or are best avoided to keep levels in a good range:

Foods to eat
- Eat a diet high in fibre and rich in fruit and vegetables.
- Soluble fibre - 20g daily. Soluble fibre is found in oats, oatmeal, barley, beans, pulses, fruit and vegetables. Soluble fibre can trap some of the cholesterol in our digestive system and excrete it before it is absorbed.
- Choose 2-3g of plant stanols and sterols a day. These 'functional foods' occur naturally in small amounts in a range of plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, cereals and vegetable oils. They have a similar structure to cholesterol and therefore actively block cholesterol absorption from the gut. This can help achieve reductions in LDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Choose healthier fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocado, nuts and seeds.
- Cut down on alcohol.
- Eat oily fish regularly. Omega-3 fats found in oily fish can help to lower blood triglyceride levels. Include herring, mackerel, pichards, sardines, salmon, trout and fresh tuna. Aim for 2-3 portions a week.

Foods to avoid

- Cut back on saturated fat: cut off visible fat from meat and avoid fatty meat products such as sausages and burgers.
- Avoid butter, ghee and lard and opt for healthy spreads and oils.
- Avoid full-fat dairy products. Choose low-fat alternatives such as skimmed/semi skimmed milk and low-fat yogurt.
- Avoid cakes, biscuits, pies and pastries.
- Avoid pre-packaged meals and snacks.

What about the cholesterol found in foods? The cholesterol found in some foods â for example eggs, offal and seafood such as prawns â does not usually make a great contribution to the level of cholesterol in your blood. If you need to reduce your cholesterol level, it is much more important that you eat foods low in saturated fat.

Other recommendations

Other lifestyle recommendations for helping to lower cholesterol levels are as follows:
- Get 30 minutes of exercise that makes you out of breath 3-5 times a week.
- Keep your weight at a healthy level.
- Avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol.

Once again it's about balance - the occasional cheese board or bangers and mash isn't going to harm you - however, a diet high in saturated fat is not recommended long term. Consume fat judicially, cutting down gradually so you learn to live with less.

Healthier alternatives

Instead of frying foods, try other cooking methods like grilling, baking, steaming and poaching. Trans-fats are formed when vegetable oils are hydrogenated (reused and altered) to make margarines and processed foods. Avoid foods that have hydrogenated oils or hydrogenated fat in the list of ingredients and try to consume more whole foods.

Recipe suggestions:

The inclusion of oats may help reduce blood cholesterol:
Cinnamon porridge with banana & berries
Cinnamon berry granola bars
Walnut & raisin oatcakes

For meals rich in stanols and sterols try these recipes:
Tofu, greens & cashew stir-fry
Zingy salmon & brown rice salad
Edamame & chilli dip with crudités

Nuts are a rich source of heart healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E:
Spiced quinoa with almonds & feta
Savoy cabbage with almonds
Good-for-you granola

Increasing your vegetable intake can be easy!:
Summer vegetable curry
Vegetable & bean chilli
Vegetable tagine with chickpeas & raisins

Lower fat but still super tasty:
Low-fat moussaka
Ginger & lime chicken with sweet potato mash
Noodles with turkey, green beans & hoisin

Jo Lewin holds a degree in nutritional therapy and works as a community health nutritionist and private consultant. She is an accredited member of BANT, covered by the association's code of ethics and practice.