This is an era of pill popping culture, where people are following medicinal techniques to lower their high cholesterol. Although medicines cure the problem instantly but sometimes these do have side effects. Going natural is always a wise idea and what better can be than following a healthy diet.
5 tips to fight cholesterol the natural way
• Use less fat- For best results use egg whites as a substitute to egg yolks or whole eggs, ham or lean turkey in place of sausage or bacon, pretzels in place of potato chips, opt for cuts of meat, olive/canola/sunflower/safflower oil and vinegar rather than salad dressings.
• Add more vegetables in the diet- Substitute non-animal protein sources such as lentils, peas, beans or tofu 3-4 times a week instead of animal protein. Although adapting to this habit can be a challenging task for hard core non-vegetarians. Thus it is best to make gradual changes. With time one will get accustomed to new meals and their taste will change. Adding fish in one’s diet rather than meat is a healthy choice. It is best to consume fish twice a week rather than meat. Including more vegetables in the diet is likely to increase one’s soluble fiber which helps in lowering the bad or LDL cholesterol. Some of the richest sources of soluble fiber can be found in beans, dried peas, carrots, Brussel sprouts, pears, oranges and oats.
• Use liquid vegetable oil rather than solid fats- It is better to use olive, soybean, safflower and canola oil rather than lard, shortening or butter.
• Cook in broth rather than fat.
• Practice healthy cooking- It is best to bake, boil, broil or oven fry instead of deep fry. Avoid frying foods and instead use microwave cooking. For best results remove skins from the chicken and visible fats from the meat before cooking.
These wonderful methods will give one the best of taste and health and thereby keep their bad cholesterol in control.
