WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
High levels of cholesterol in the blood (readings above
200) increase your chance of developing heart disease. The
excess cholesterol tends to build up on artery walls,
eventually reducing the supply of blood reaching your heart
muscles and increasing the odds of heart attack and
stroke.
High fat intake tends to increase cholesterol levels; so
if you have a cholesterol problem, your doctor may recommend a
low-fat diet. Saturated fat is the worst offender; that's what
you'll need to concentrate on lowering. Generally speaking, if
a fat is solid at room temperature, you can consider it
saturated. Prime examples are the fat in meats, butter, lard,
and coconut or palm oil.
WHAT YOU SHOULD
DO
Bake, roast, boil, or broil meat, fish, and poultry. Do
not fry these foods. Before cooking, remove fat from all meats
and remove skin from poultry. If you buy packaged foods, make
sure no more than 30 percent of their total calories come from
fat. Always buy low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
You may eat fat-free foods as often as you like as long
as they do not have too many calories. If you buy margarine,
choose one that is soft, low in fat, or made with liquid oil.
Lose weight if you are overweight. Talk to your doctor about
the best weight loss plan for you.
FOODS TO AVOID
Do NOT eat foods from this list until your doctor gives
the go-ahead. Then, eat no more than 4 servings each
month.
Fats
-
Bacon (1 slice)
-
Butter (1
teaspoon)
-
Coconut (1
teaspoon)
-
Coconut oil (1 or 2
teaspoon)
-
Cream cheese (1
tablespoon)
-
Lard (1
teaspoon)
-
Margarine containing lard (1
teaspoon)
-
Mayonnaise (1
teaspoon)
-
Palm kernel oil (1 or 2
teaspoons)
-
Shortening (1
teaspoon)
Dairy
-
Cream (1
tablespoon)
-
Evaporated milk (2
tablespoons)
-
Half and half (2
tablespoons)
-
Hard or semi-soft cheese (1
inch cube)
-
Ice cream (1 or 2
cups)
-
Sour cream (1 or 4
cups)
-
Sweetened condensed milk (2
tablespoons)
-
Whole milk (1 or 2
cups)
Meats and Protein (A serving is 1 to 2 Ounces---the size
of 1 or 2 decks of cards.)
-
Cold cuts
-
Fatback or ham
hocks
-
Fish canned in
oil
-
Hot dogs
-
Liver, sweetbreads, or organ
meats
-
Sausages
Soups
-
Soups made with cream, half
and half, or whole milk (1 or 2 cups or 4
ounces)
Fruits and
Vegetables
-
Any prepared with butter,
cream, or other sauces (1 or 2 cups or 4
ounces)
Breads and
Cereals:
-
Cakes, pies, pastries (1
serving about size of the palm of your hand)
-
Cookies (2 small [2 inches
across] or 1 medium [3 inches across])
-
Egg noodles (1 cup or 8
ounces cooked)
-
Granola (1 or 2 cups or 4
ounces)
FOODS YOU SHOULD
FAVOR
Fats (2 to 3 Servings a
Day)
-
Diet or low-fat margarine (2
teaspoons)
-
Canola, corn, olive, peanut,
safflower, sesame, soybean, or sunflower oil (1
teaspoon)
-
Margarine or salad dressing
made with above oils (1 teaspoon)
-
Peanut butter (2
teaspoons)
Dairy (2 to 3 Cups or 16 to 24
Ounces a Day)
-
Fat-free or low-fat cottage
cheese, ricotta cheese, sour cream, or yogurt
-
Skim or 1 percent
milk
-
Sorbet
Meats and Protein (2 to 3
Servings a Day)
-
Skinless chicken, fish, lean
beef, or pork (2 to 3 ounces [the size of a deck of
cards])
-
Cooked dried peas, beans,
lentils (1 or 2 cups or 4 ounces)
-
Fat-free egg substitutes (1
or 2 cups or 4 ounces)
-
1 egg (do not eat more than 4
a week)
Soups (No More Than 2 Cups or 16
Ounces a Day)
-
Broth, bouillon
-
Cream-style soups with skim
or 1 percent milk
-
Fat-free or low-fat packaged
soups
Fruits and Vegetables (5 to 7
Servings [1 or 2 Cups Cooked or 1 Cup Raw] a
Day)
-
All types made without
margarine, butter, cream sauces, or frying
Breads and Cereals (6 to 8
Servings a Day)
-
Whole grain or white bread (1
slice)
-
Cooked rice or pasta (1 or 2
cups or 4 ounces)
-
Cooked cereal (1 or 2
cups)
-
Cold cereal (1 cup or 8
ounces)
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