Healthy food choices to lower cholesterol
Here is a variety of healthy food choices and foods to avoid:
Meat, poultry, and fish Choose
Avoid
Lean and well-trimmed cuts of:
- Beef
- Pork
- Lamb
- Regular ground beef
- Fatty cuts
- Spare ribs
- Organ meat
Poultry without skin
- Poultry with skin
- Fried chicken
Seafood
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Fried fish
- Fried shellfish
Processed meat prepared from lean meats
- Turkey ham
- Turkey frankfurters
- Regular luncheon meat
- Bologna
- Salami
- Sausage
- Frankfurters
Eggs Choose
Avoid
- Egg whites (two whites can be substituted for one whole egg in recipes)
- Cholesterol-free egg substitute
Egg yolks (includes eggs used in cooking and baking)
Dairy products Choose
Avoid
Milk
- 1% fat or non-fat (fluid, powdered, evaporated)
- Buttermilk (1% or skim)
- Whole milk (fluid, evaporated, condensed)
- 2% fat milk (low-fat)
Yogurt
- Nonfat or low-fat (1%)
- Nonfat or low-fat yogurt beverages
- Whole-milk yogurt
- Whole-milk yogurt beverages
Cheese
- Low-fat or nonfat
- Regular cheeses (American, bleu, Brie, cheddar, Colby, Edam, Monterey jack, whole-milk mozzarella, parmesan, Swiss)
- Cream cheese
Cottage cheese (0% to 2% fat)
- Low-fat
- Nonfat
- Dry curd
Cottage cheese (4% fat)
Frozen dairy dessert (low-fat or nonfat)
- Ice milk
- Frozen yogurt
Ice cream
Low-fat or nonfat coffee creamer
- Cream
- Half and half
- Whipping cream
- Nondairy creamer
- Whipped topping
Low-fat or nonfat sour cream Sour cream
Fats and oils Choose
Avoid
Monounsaturated oils
- Olive
- Canola
- Peanut
Polyunsaturated oils
- Safflower
- Sunflower
- Corn
- Soybean
- Sesame
Tropical oils
- Coconut oil
- Palm kernel oil
- Palm oil
Soft margarine (made from unsaturated oils listed above)
Light or diet margarine (especially soft or liquid forms)
Margarines made with plant sterols or plant stanols
- Butter
- Lard
- Shortening
- Bacon fat
- Hard margarine
Salad dressings
- Made with unsaturated oils listed above
- Low-fat
- Fat-free
Dressings made with:
- Egg yolk
- Cheese
- Sour cream
- Whole milk
Seeds and nuts
- Natural peanut butter (no hydrogenated oil)
- Other natural nut butters
- Peanut butter made with hydrogenated vegetable oil
- Coconut
Cocoa powder Milk chocolate
Breads and cereals Choose
Avoid
Breads
- Whole-grain
- English muffins
- Bagels
- Buns
- Corn or flour tortilla
- Breads in which eggs, fat, and/or butter are a major ingredient
- Croissants
Cereals
- Oat
- Corn
- Wheat
- Multigrain
Most granola (unless fat-free)
Pasta, preferably whole wheat
White pasta
Brown rice
White rice
Crackers
- Low-fat animal crackers
- Graham
- Soda crackers
- Breadsticks
- Melba toast
High-fat crackers
Homemade baked goods (using unsaturated oil, nonfat or 1% milk, and egg substitute)
- Quick breads
- Biscuits
- Cornbread muffins
- Bran muffins
- Pancakes
- Waffles
Commercially baked goods (especially if they contain saturated fat or hydrogenated fats)
- Pastries
- Muffins
- Biscuits
Soups Choose
Avoid
Reduced or low-fat and reduced-sodium varieties
- Chicken or beef noodle
- Minestrone
- Vegetable
- Potato
- Reduced-fat soups made with non-fat milk
Soups containing:
- Whole milk
- Cream
- Meat fat
- Poultry fat
- Poultry skin
Vegetables Choose
Avoid
- Fresh
- Frozen
- Canned (without added fat or sauce)
- Fried
- Prepared with butter, cheese, or cream sauce
Fruits Choose
Avoid
- Fresh
- Frozen
- Canned
- Coconut
These will be limited if triglycerides are high.
Sweets and desserts Choose
Avoid
Beverages
- Water
- Skim milk
- Diet sodas
- Unsweetened iced tea
Pop or soda
Sweetened drinks
Sweets
- Sugar
- Syrup
- Honey
- Jam
- Preserves
- Candy made without fat (candy corn, gumdrops, hard candy)
Candy made with:
- Milk chocolate
- Coconut oil
- Palm kernel oil
- Palm oil
Frozen desserts
- Low-fat and nonfat yogurt
- Ice milk
- Sherbet
- Sorbet
- Fruit ice
- Popsicles
- Ice cream
- Frozen treats made with ice cream
Cookies, cake, pie, or pudding prepared with:
- Egg whites
- Egg substitute
- Nonfat or 1% milk
- Unsaturated oil or margarine
Ginger snaps
Fig and other fruit bar cookies
Fat-free cookies
Angel food cake
Commercially baked goods (especially if made with saturated fat and hydrogenated fat):
- Pies
- Cakes
- Doughnuts
- High-fat cookies
- Cream bars
| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: July 11, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD - Cardiology | |
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