Lower Your Cholesterol With Our Diet Plan

It always pays to maintain a good diet plan that will lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of developing heart disease. But a diet plan is so difficult to follow, you say? Not really. Simply follow our heart-friendly tips to come up with a diet plan to help lower your cholesterol.

1. Start the day right

Oatmeal is a great choice for a breakfast meal, accompanied by a serving of fresh fruit and juice. Or make a healthy sandwich using thinly-sliced turkey, chicken or meatloaf and whole-grain breads. You can also toast muffins made with almond and bran, zucchini or raisins and oats for a filling meal. Fiber-rich foods in your diet plan are very effective in lowering cholesterol levels.

2. A cup will do

Studies have shown that including about 5g to 10g of soluble fiber in your diet plan can lower cholesterol levels by at least 5%. To keep your soluble intake within the ideal amount, include these foods in your diet plan: oatmeal, oat bran, carrots, rye cereal, cooked barley, Brussels sprouts, fresh broccoli, cooked beans, lentils and peas.

A cup contains at least 2 grams of soluble fiber, nearly half of your daily required amount. Eat 1 to 2 cups a day to improve your diet plan and lower your cholesterol.

3. Entrees

The best and healthiest diet plans recommend food to be cooked in as little oil as possible. That is why the best cooking methods to lower cholesterol include broiling, steaming, baking and grilling. These methods cook the food properly but lock in the flavors so you also get to enjoy your meal.

Eat one or two servings of fatty fish, turkey and chicken meat three to four times a week. These are healthy alternatives for days when you want something other than beef and pork. While it's very tasty, avoid including chicken skin into your diet plan. Chicken skin is rich with bad fats and will not help lower cholesterol at all.

4. Low-cholesterol desserts

Fresh fruits make excellent after-meal desserts or snacks. Eaten on their own or in combination, they can be a great addition to your diet plan to lower cholesterol.

Chop up apples, pears, and mangoes and add raspberries or cherries. Chill, add a dollop of whipped low-fat cream and some light syrup and you'll have a healthful but enjoyable dessert. You can even turn these fruits into low-fat sherbets, perfect after a summer meal or a barbecue.

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