IMPROVE THE WAY YOU COOK
Managing high cholesterol must include a series of changes in lifestyle and eating habits. The main ingredient that must be reduced is the intake of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, while increasing ingredients that are high in fiber, good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and antioxidants. More specifically:
Decrease consumption of:
Fatty red meat (lamb, goat, pork, beef)
High fat cold cuts and sausages (ie bacon, salami)
Dairy products with high fat (whole milk and yogurt)
High fat cheese (gruyere, parmesan)
Butter (this can be replaced with margarine), sauce, mayonnaise, milk cream
Sweets (that contain chocolate, whipped cream, milk cream)
Savory and sweet puff pastries (cheese pie, ham and cheese pies etc)
Liver and other intestines
Seafood, such as shrimp
Eggs
Increase consumption of:
Fruits
Vegetables
Whole wheat products (bread, rusk, pasta, cereal)
Nuts (pistacios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)
Legumes (beans, lentils)
Sesami – tahini
Olive oil
Low fat cheese (such as, anthotyro, cottage cheese)
Cholesterol-lowering products (such as Benecol)
Fish (especially fatty fish, such as salmon, hake and sardines)
Chicken, poultry in general
| AVOID | PREFER |
| Beef, pork, lamb, goat | Fatty fish, chicken, turkey, rabbit |
| Cold cuts (i.e. bacon, salami) | Low fat cold cuts, such as chicken or turkey |
| High fat cheese | Low fat cheese |
| Whole milk, yogurt | Skim milk and 0- 2% yogurt |
| Animal fat, butter, mayonnaise, milk cream | Olive oil, functoinal vegetable margarines, like cream milk |
| Sweets with cream milk, whipped cream and milk chocolate | Fruit preserves, nougats |
| Alcohol abuse | Red wine (1 – 2 glasses a day), beer (1 small pint) |
