I recently found out that I have high cholesterol and triglycerides levels. My doctor said that I can try to adjust my diet and increase my cardio workouts, but only gave me general directions as to how to adjust my diet. Can you tell me what foods and supplements can help? Perhaps you can explain which foods affect these levels most in both and good and bad way; this way I can get a better idea of what to avoid and what to increase? For instance, I had no idea that one large egg (really the yolk) had about 186 mg of cholesterol. The AHA (American Heart Association) recommendation for cholesterol, for those with high cholesterol, is around 200 mg per day, and knowing that I had 3 eggs (with yolks) for breakfast about 3 days per week made me realize how quickly I could be as much as 3 times over my recommended limit of cholesterol before lunch. Thanks for your help! – Pine W.
You should be paying attention to your saturated fat intake. The main contributor to blood cholesterol, is the cholesterol made by your own liver, and not necessarily dietary cholesterol intake. The liver primarily uses saturated and trans fat to synthesize the harmful LDL (low density lipoprotein) that’s measured in blood tests.
“Saturated fat is the principal dietary determinant of LDL cholesterol levels.” – American Heart Association
Major saturated fat sources are butter, cheese, milk fat, meats, poultry skin, coconut oil and palm kernel oil. Foods such as shrimp that are high in cholesterol but low in saturated fat (and total fat) are not so detrimental to your blood lipid profile. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 5% total calories to come from saturated fat; about 12 grams per 2000 calories.
Trans fats and to a lesser extent, cholesterol, also impact blood lipoprotein levels. Avoiding highly processed or deep fried foods, and organ meats will do much to limit intake of these. Trans fat intake should be limited to no more than 2 grams daily and the 200 milligram cholesterol level you mentioned is a maximum goal set by the National Cholesterol Education Program’s therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC).
As far as your triglycerides go, the dietary culprits tend to be sugars and overall fat intake. A triglyceride molecule is the same structure that is stored in your fat cells. An abundance of ready energy (sugar) that you don’t use is easily converted to fat. And of course, the fat that you eat doesn’t even have to be converted – it’s already fat! It would be much more difficult for your body to repackage protein or complex carbohydrates into triglycerides, especially if you’re at energy balance or an energy deficit.
The main 4 nutrients to focus on are fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, soy protein and plant sterol/stanol.
But the message of “Don’t eat this or that,” is only half the picture. There are several things you should focus on eating to improve your blood lipid profile. The first is fiber, the indigestible portion of carbohydrate from plants. Ample fiber helps lower cholesterol levels, by as much as 10%. Here’s how in a nutshell – fiber breaks cholesterol’s cycling* between liver, gut, and blood. Increasing overall fiber intake is good, but the focus should be on soluble fiber.
The goal is to increase soluble fiber intake to 10 to 25 g daily by eating more soluble-fiber rich foods. Good sources include apples, beans, berries, Brussel sprouts, carrots, celery, cucumbers, flaxseeds, lentils, nuts, oats, oranges and pears. Be sure to increase water intake as you up the fiber load.
Eat fatty fish such as albacore tuna, halibut, herring, mackerel, lake trout, salmon or sardines twice per week to lower high cholesterol. The beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, from the polyunsaturated fat, include eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and decosahexanoic acid (DHA). These essential acids work to prevent cholesterol formation and improve its clearance from the bloodstream. If you’re not a fish fan, you could take a fish oil supplement providing 1,000 mg EPA + DHA total. Flaxseed oil is an option for vegetarians.
Getting enough soy food can help lower cholesterol levels. The goal is to consume 25 grams soy protein daily from soybeans/edamame, soy nuts, tofu, tempeh, soy butter and soymilk. The benefit is from whole foods, not supplements or soy sauce. First, try replacing 2 meals with soy foods then adding another each week. Tofu can be marinated with almost any flavor, but if you prefer meal-ready options, many soy-based meat replacements are available.
Consume ¼ cup of nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, or walnuts daily to reduce high blood cholesterol. These contain alpha linolenic acid (ALA) a precursor to EPA and DHA. Easy ways to incorporate nuts into your diet are chopped on cereal or salads, whole with dried fruit as trail mix, blended into smoothies, or ground and added into soup or grains. Of course, a nut butter with celery makes an excellent snack.
The newest recommendation is to consume 2 grams daily of plant sterol and stanols by eating food products enriched in these cholesterol-lowering phytochemicals such as margarine and salad dressings (e.g., Benecol spread, Take Control spread, Corazon snacks and certain Smart Balance products ). There is even an orange juice fortified with plant sterols! If these products don’t suit you, there are plant sterol supplements available. Natural sources provide very little, but include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, beans and legumes.
As you can see overall, a more plant-based diet that includes fish performs double duty: 1) to limit saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol intake while 2) providing the key nutrients needed to lower blood cholesterol.
* A portion of blood cholesterol is used by the liver to make bile, which enters the gut to facilitate fat digestion; normally this cholesterol is resorbed into the blood for further use, but soluble fiber in the gut binds onto cholesterol causes it to be eliminated; the effective cholesterol content of the blood is reduced.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
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