Low-cholesterol diet as prevention of cardiovascular diseases

An elevated level of cholesterol in the blood is the first harbinger of such an insidious and dangerous disease as atherosclerosis. Therefore, if indicators identified during the examination are outside the normal range, measures should be taken immediately to reduce them. A diet for high cholesterol is the best way to stop the development of the disease, tidy up blood vessels and cleanse the body of harmful substances.

Of course, not everyone can afford to suddenly give up their favorite sweets and fatty foods, but efforts should be made to prevent the dangerous consequences of high blood cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Today we will talk in detail about a nutrition plan to reduce the levels of “harmful” substances in the blood, permitted and prohibited foods, and a sample menu of healthy and healthy dishes.

Why is it important to diet

Cholesterol is an organic compound consisting of a fatty alcohol. The substance is mostly produced by the liver system of the body, and comes from the outside along with food in relatively small proportions (only 20–25%). In itself, this compound cannot be harmful or beneficial; it is intended for the synthesis of protein metabolism and the formation of cell structure.

But as the amount of cholesterol in the body increases, it begins to be deposited on the vascular walls, eventually leading to the growth of plaques that clog capillaries and interfere with proper blood flow. After 50 years, this state of affairs becomes dangerous for a person: clogged vessels cannot fully supply internal organs and the brain with blood, which is why the risk of heart attack and stroke increases in old age.

And if the body can fight a lack of cholesterol on its own, then an excess of the substance requires a change in the diet and usual (often not very correct) lifestyle. Why is proper and healthy nutrition so important for high cholesterol:

• promotes the removal of decay products, toxins and toxins accumulated in the intestinal tissues from the body;
• helps to lose weight, which is important for high cholesterol - almost all obese people have problems with blood vessels, high blood pressure and suffer from cardiovascular pathologies;
• helps prevent the development of atherosclerosis in women over fifty years of age - during menopause, estrogen production decreases, which is why “harmful” cholesterol begins to actively accumulate on the vascular walls;
• indirectly participates in the treatment of concomitant diseases - the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract), diabetes, hypertension.

To begin the fight against cholesterol, it is important not only to understand the principles of proper nutrition, but also to give up bad habits. Vessels, already narrowed due to the deposition of cholesterol plaques, experience additional spasm when tobacco tar and ethyl alcohol enter the blood.

Only an integrated approach, including diet, quitting smoking and alcohol, providing the body with stable physical activity and frequent exposure to fresh air, can qualitatively reduce blood cholesterol levels. If the doctor has prescribed medications at the same time, the recommendations must be strictly followed.

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Balanced diet

For the full functioning of systems and organs, the human body must receive proteins, fats and carbohydrates from food every day. Therefore, even with a high concentration of cholesterol in the blood, it is impossible to completely abandon animal fats.

Proteins (proteins)

They are high molecular weight organic substances. Consist of alpha acids.

The greatest amount of protein is contained:

• lean veal;
• chicken breast;
• shrimps;
• sea ​​fish;
• legumes

When planning your diet, it is important to consider that some of these foods contain high amounts of cholesterol. For example, shrimp or veal. Therefore, they can be included in the menu no more than 2 times a week.

Fats

Fats are a source of energy for the body. If you have high cholesterol, avoid saturated fats, which can increase levels of harmful LDL.

Preference should be given to vegetable, unsaturated fats, which are found in the following products:

• vegetable oils;
• nuts;
• dairy, fermented milk products.

Sea fish deserves special attention. It contains a lot of cholesterol, but it is not dangerous because its harmful effects are neutralized by unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, in addition to vegetables and fruits, sea fish is an essential element of nutrition. It can be added to the menu every day.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are simple and complex sugars, a source of energy, building material for cells. Their deficiency immediately affects the state of the body: the functioning of the cardiovascular system is disrupted, the metabolic rate drops, and the condition of the nervous system worsens.

The largest amount of carbohydrates is contained:

• whole wheat bread;
• vegetables fruits;
• legumes;
• whole grains;
• low-fat dairy products.

It is important to know that there is a separate group of carbohydrates called refined. They do not replenish the lack of energy in the body, but rather completely deplete the energy supply. Refined carbohydrates are easily digested.

They are developed artificially, therefore they are completely devoid of useful qualities. When there is an excess of them, they begin to quickly turn into fats. The diet completely excludes foods containing refined carbohydrates. These include confectionery, baked goods, sweets, and carbonated drinks.

General principles of dietary nutrition

Each person can create an approximate menu for himself from products allowed for consumption (this is described below). But an important point of the diet is the daily consumption of complex carbohydrates (their volume should be 50–60% of the total food eaten per day).

Complex carbohydrates that take a long time to digest and provide a feeling of fullness include pasta, cereals, whole grain bread, as well as fruits and vegetables. Fruit salads and vegetable dishes cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol deposits, give them tone, and make capillaries elastic and less brittle. A third of all vegetables eaten per day should be consumed raw.

Proteins are fish, lean meats and cottage cheese. Preference is given to poultry meat with the skin removed, and it is better to stew or boil it rather than fry it. For a side dish, it is better to choose stewed vegetables or complement the meat dish with fresh vegetable salad. This way the meat is digested more efficiently.

Egg whites are cholesterol-free, so you can eat them without restricting yourself. But the yolk contains substances that help increase the levels of the substance in the blood, which is why you are allowed to eat no more than three yolks per week. Dairy products should be chosen low-fat.

Small meals are another important point in the fight against bad cholesterol. It is better to eat food more often (up to 5–6 times a day), but in small portions, than to eat 1–2 times, but in large quantities. This facilitates the work of the gastrointestinal tract, creating a feeling of constant satiety. If you feel like you have an “empty stomach,” you can drink a glass of natural yogurt or low-fat kefir.

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The effect of fiber on cholesterol

Fiber helps reduce cholesterol, so when dieting, you should eat more foods that contain a lot of it.
Fiber is found in the following products:

• wheat bran;
• cereals;
• nuts;
• sweet peppers, greens, lettuce, green beans, cabbage and other vegetables;
• berries: black currant, grapes, strawberries;
• apples;
• dried apricots;
• raisin.

By increasing the amount of fiber in your diet, you can significantly reduce cholesterol levels.

What can you eat

A cholesterol diet, which involves reducing this organic substance in the body, is based on the principles of consuming certain foods that help normalize the condition of blood vessels. It is necessary to provide a list of these products so that every person suffering from high cholesterol knows what is best to eat:

• Bran – Despite the fact that many people consider these grain by-products, bran contains a ton of fiber. In the fight against cholesterol, grain waste acts as follows: it prevents the absorption of harmful substances into the intestinal tissue. By regularly eating bran, you can reduce the “bad” substance in the blood by 7–15%;
• flaxseed - if a person consumes at least 45 grams of flaxseed daily, the cholesterol level in his body will drop by 8-10%;
• polyunsaturated fatty acids - replacing animal fats with vegetable fats is very useful for high levels of bad cholesterol. Products rich in such acids include olive and sunflower oil, avocado and others;
• garlic is an excellent helper in the fight against clogged blood vessels. The root vegetable contains substances that help reduce cholesterol by almost 13%;
• different types of nuts: walnuts, peanuts, pistachios. Not only are they able to cleanse blood vessels and the body of cholesterol accumulation, but while simultaneously reducing the amount of fatty foods consumed, they can reduce this figure by 8–10%;
• green tea is a cheap but healthy product, the healing properties of which are well known in the east;
• barley flour – it reduces the level of harmful substances in the blood by almost 8%.

Dark chocolate is no less useful for lowering cholesterol. Its ability to remove harmful substances is not as high as that of green tea varieties, but consuming a chocolate bar brings not only benefits, but also incomparable pleasure.

Recipes

Fish baked with vegetables

0.5 kg pike perch fillet, 2-3 tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, lettuce pepper, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil.

Roughly chop the onion, garlic, zucchini and eggplant. Mix the vegetables, season with pepper, vegetable oil, Provençal herbs and marinate for 30 minutes. Also grease the fish fillet with oil and season with herbs. Place the prepared vegetables on foil, place the fish fillet on top and cover with small tomatoes. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Fish baked with vegetables and cheese

Hake fillet 500 g, carrots, onions, tomatoes, low-fat cheese 50 g, vegetable oil.

Cut the fillet into portions, marinate in spices and allspice. In a frying pan, simmer finely chopped onion and grated carrots, adding a little vegetable oil. Place the hake fillet in a small dish, cover with a layer of stewed vegetables and slices of chopped tomato. Bake for 20 minutes, sprinkle with grated cheese at the end and place in the oven for another 3 minutes.

Baked chicken breast

Chicken fillet 300 g, fresh vegetables and herbs to taste, olive oil 1 tbsp, milk 0.25 cup, garlic.

Lightly beat the chicken fillet and marinate in olive oil with garlic, rosemary and milk for half an hour. Place in pan and bake. Season the finished dish with salt and serve with any fresh vegetables.

Chicken fillet with green beans

One chicken fillet, 300 g beans, pepper, spices, olive oil, salt.

Cut the chicken fillet into cubes and simmer until half cooked in a saucepan with a little water. Add frozen green beans, spices to taste and simmer under the lid until the chicken is completely cooked. Before serving, add herbs, olive oil and a little salt. Serve warm.

Cholesterol content in specific foods

To reduce cholesterol, you need to eat healthy foods, which will help reduce levels of harmful substances. But how can we determine which products contain the least amount of this compound? The table below will help with this.

You don’t need to have the knowledge of a doctor to understand which foods should be avoided according to the table, and which should be given preference. Next, we will talk about the list of prohibited foods and why it is not recommended to eat them if your blood cholesterol levels are elevated.

Authorized Products

Proper nutrition for high cholesterol should become the norm. What should it be? First of all, you need to exclude meat broths - prepare vegetarian soups; if this is difficult and unusual for you, then you can use weak secondary broth for first courses and carefully skim off the fat. Use potatoes in minimal quantities and it is better to prepare combined vegetable soups, cabbage soup and borscht.

Meat and poultry should be taken of lean types; poultry skin is unacceptable; additional fat should be trimmed from the meat. Since the diet involves limiting fat, the meat should be boiled or baked without adding sour cream, mayonnaise or any fat. Use vegetables as a side dish, not cereal. It is better to cook them for breakfast (oatmeal, buckwheat and brown rice).

Cabbage (all types), carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, eggplant, or salads made from fresh vegetables and green peas will help lower cholesterol levels. The total amount of vegetables eaten per day is at least 400g.

Use virgin vegetable oils to season ready-made dishes. omega-3 fatty acids, which regulate the production of beneficial lipids, is useful in this regard .

Lowering cholesterol levels can be achieved by introducing low-fat sea fish into the diet, but the consumption of meat (chicken) should still be limited to once a week. When it comes to fish, you should choose dietary varieties: hake, haddock, blue whiting, navaga, pollock, pollock.

Bread made from rye, grain flour and bran is allowed. You can use yeast-free bread (with bran, with flax seeds) for snacks and first courses. Milk and fermented milk products are allowed only in low fat content and in limited quantities. Green tea and weak coffee with milk and without sugar, vegetable and fruit juices without sugar are allowed.

Table of permitted products

About forbidden food

If we describe specific prohibited foods during a cholesterol diet, then this list contains the following names:

• fatty meat: lamb, pig, cow;
• margarine, heavy cream and other high-fat dairy products;
• rich meat broths;
• baked goods and baked goods, including bread products;
• smoked food, sausages, sausages, etc.;
• ready-made sauces – mayonnaise, ketchup;
• salo;
• fried vegetables;
• fatty fish.

Margarine is a product that doctors recommend avoiding even for people with normal cholesterol levels.
Eating only healthy foods and giving up your favorite meat, mayonnaise, spices and lard is not something everyone can do. But only with effort can you reduce the amount of dangerous and harmful substances in the body. Carbonated drinks such as Coca-Cola, fast food, canned food and processed foods are also prohibited.

In addition to avoiding “harmful” foods, you should follow a number of rules when eating and preparing food:

• give up sugar and table salt. You can replace salt with fresh lemon juice, and instead of sugar, use cinnamon in powder form;
• instead of frying, cook food in other ways - boil, stew, steam, bake in the oven without the use of margarine and fats;
• drink at least 1.5–2 liters of clean water per day to enhance the effect of removing toxins from the body;
• include vegetable fats instead of animal fats in your daily diet.

Doctors say that seafood is good for high cholesterol due to its high iodine content. But it is better to refrain from eating caviar, shrimp and squid, or eat them, but not more often than once a week.

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Table of recommended and prohibited foods for high cholesterol

Sample menu for 7 days

A healthy diet is the key not only to lowering cholesterol, but also to normalizing blood pressure, heart and vascular activity. Especially for those who do not know how best to arrange the right products together, a sample menu for the week will be presented below. You can change the dishes or supplement them at your discretion, but adhering to the principles of rational nutrition.

On the first day, for the first breakfast, you can eat a couple of cheesecakes and wash them down with freshly squeezed orange juice, and for the second breakfast, prepare a vegetable salad. Lunch – pepper stuffed with lean chicken and rice. For an afternoon snack, you can treat yourself to two slices of whole grain wheat bread, topped with a piece of lean cheese. You can eat an unsweetened apple. Dinner – borscht in lean broth with low-fat sour cream.

On the second morning, it is useful to eat a vegetable salad, and at about 11 o’clock, supplement your breakfast with fresh grapefruit. For lunch, it is recommended to cook boiled chicken breast with a side dish of rice. The afternoon snack consists of 150 grams of low-fat cottage cheese. And for dinner you should make a casserole from cottage cheese, but also without the use of oils and margarine.

Herbs that lower cholesterol and cleanse blood vessels

The beginning of the third day of the diet is an omelet made from a couple of eggs, and later you can eat a little vegetable salad with the addition of a sandwich (whole grain bread with jam).

Lunch – vegetable soup in natural broth, vegetable salad (may consist of tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and feta cheese). For an afternoon snack, top your muesli with low-fat cottage cheese or drinking yoghurt. Dinner – low-fat fish, boiled or baked.

On the fourth day, in the morning it is good to cook millet porridge with pumpkin, and at 11 o’clock drink drinking yogurt. Lunch – pilaf with lean chicken and stewed vegetables, vegetable salad. After lunch, 2-3 hours later, you can eat one banana, and for dinner you should stew your favorite vegetables.

The first breakfast of the fifth day consists of low-fat cottage cheese and the same sour cream; you can wash it all down with orange juice. Later the persimmon fruit is eaten. For lunch - vegetable soup in the same broth, a piece of lean beef. You can have an afternoon snack with a fresh salad, adding half an egg to it. For dinner - pasta with chicken, sprinkled with grated low-fat cheese.

On weekends, you can prepare dishes from the above. The main thing is to follow the rules of heat treatment, do not fry foods in oil and do not add margarine to them. Recipes for certain dishes (pilaf with chicken and vegetables, casseroles) can be found on any culinary website, if someone does not know how to cook it themselves.

Fully or partially limited products

Excluded: pork, cooking fats, refined vegetable oil, margarine, butter, duck and goose meat, offal (kidneys, brains, liver), sausages and smoked meats. Fatty fish, fish roe (contains a large amount of cholesterol), crayfish, shrimp, crabs and any canned fish, including cod liver, are prohibited.

You should not consume puff pastry and pastry products, highly extractive meat, fish, or mushroom broths. Cream, fatty cottage cheese and sour cream are not allowed in the diet. Prohibition of consumption of chocolate, full-fat ice cream, products with cream and products with palm and coconut oil. Mayonnaise and ketchup should not be used as sauces.

Limit:

• beef (1-2 times a week);
• red fish;
• egg yolks;
• potato;
• fatty cheeses;
• nuts;
• buckwheat;
• honey.

Table of prohibited products

Is it possible to drink alcohol?

This question worries many patients with high blood cholesterol, because they often receive offers to go on a visit, celebrate a significant event, etc. Is it possible to skip a glass of alcohol or should you refrain from even the minimum dose of strong drinks?

It all depends on two factors: what dose of the drink will be taken, and also what type of alcohol it is. Strong drinks have different effects on the body, including the harmful cholesterol present in the blood vessels:

• vodka - doctors do not note any beneficial effects for this drink; on the contrary, they consider it dangerous. Many manufacturers add to their products, instead of the required ethyl alcohol, a cheap substitute - methyl alcohol. As a result, even 30 gr. the poison consumed will be enough not only to not lower cholesterol, but also to lose life;
• Whiskey is a natural drink made from malt, rich in ellagic acid. It has a pronounced effect on bad cholesterol, being a good antioxidant. Fights harmful substances, removes toxins, but only with regular small amounts of whiskey consumed;
• cognac – approximately 30–50 grams of cognac per week will help lower cholesterol levels and improve vascular tone. Consumption of large doses reduces the effect and leads to the development of alcoholism;
• dry wine – reduces the level of harmful substances in the blood, gives tone to blood vessels, neutralizes the effect of free radicals.

When taking statins and other groups of drugs that a doctor may prescribe, drinking alcohol is contraindicated due to severe side effects on the liver. Therefore, before drinking even a glass of “healthy” dry wine, you need to make sure there are no contraindications.

Advantages and disadvantages

Juice therapy

In addition to special nutrition, nutritionists have also developed a method for reducing the overall level of fats in the blood by drinking juices according to a special scheme.

The duration of the course is 5 days. During this time, in the morning, on an empty stomach, you need to drink fresh juice (freshly squeezed juice).

First day: 70 ml celery juice and 130 ml carrot juice.

Second day: mix 70 ml of beet juice with 100 ml of carrot juice and 70 ml of cucumber juice.

Beetroot juice must be squeezed out 1.5-2 hours before consumption.

Third day: mix 70 ml apple juice and 70 ml celery juice with 130 ml fresh carrot juice.

Fourth day: add 70 ml of apple juice to 130 ml of carrot juice.

Fifth day: 130 ml orange juice.

Juice therapy can reduce TC by 10% and lose a little weight.

Reviews and results

This diet is designed for 3 months in some cases and more on the recommendation of a doctor. This diet program allows you to lose weight and improve your overall health. Many people note normalization of cholesterol and blood pressure , disappearance of constipation and heartburn , which is associated with the elimination of fatty and fried foods.

• “... The problem with cholesterol arose recently, and the doctor insisted that if I had high bad cholesterol, I should start taking pills, but I decided to try to normalize everything with nutrition, and I’ll have time to take the pills. For now I’m doing without medications, I’m sticking to my diet very strictly - I think there will be results. I didn’t retake the tests, but my blood pressure became normal and I lost weight”;
• “... Everything in combination - the anti-cholesterol diet and the pills that I followed for 3 months gave results. The doctor told me not to get my hopes up, if there is a lipid metabolism disorder, then I need to constantly eat right”;
• “... There were changes in the lipid profile, and the doctor said that we could still try to bring everything back to normal with nutrition. I researched all the recommendations on the Internet, made a list of foods that help with high cholesterol, and got to work. At first it was difficult to limit myself to sweets, cheese and fried foods, especially since I had never eaten so many vegetables. But in three months there were changes - we managed to lower cholesterol, but not yet to normal. My overall condition has improved, my weight has even dropped.”

Two-stage technique

With a moderate diet (second stage diet), the total amount of fat (TQF) is a maximum of 30% of the daily calorie content of the menu; the content of saturated fatty acids (SFA) is a maximum of 10%, and cholesterol is not more than 300 mg/day.

Daily ration

• Lean meat (without fat and skin) and sea fish – up to 90 grams per meal (maximum 180 g/day).
• Vegetable oil (olive, flaxseed, pumpkin, corn) in an amount not exceeding 10% of daily calories. Give preference to cold pressed oils.
• The basis of nutrition is carbohydrates and fiber - 50-65% of the diet. Therefore, it is allowed to eat whole grain bread, minimally processed cereals, fruits and vegetables.

Prohibited products:

• butter and palm oil;
• milk and fermented milk products (only zero fat content is allowed);
• egg yolk;
• meat by-products (liver, navels, heart, kidneys);
• sausages, sausage;
• shrimp, squid;
• caviar (red and black);
• sweets (cakes, pastries) and white bread baked goods.

The duration of such a nutrition system ranges from 6 to 12 weeks. After which repeated blood tests are taken. If the TC indicator has returned to normal, then it is enough to stick to proper nutrition and retake tests according to the scheme approved by the attending physician. If total cholesterol has not decreased to the desired level, then you should move to a more stringent regimen.

For the second stage diet, the diet and list of prohibited foods remain unchanged, as does the OKL (30%). In this case, EFA is reduced to 7%, and the maximum amount of cholesterol should not exceed 200 mg/day.

The transition from stage 1 to stage 2 should be carried out smoothly and under the supervision of the attending physician.

Low cholesterol: dangers and complications

When working to lower your bad cholesterol levels, you should remember that common sense and the right approach to diet are the key to success. When removing “bad” fats, you can overdo it and deprive the body of such useful and necessary “good” nutrients.

You should be concerned if during treatment you notice the appearance or worsening of the following conditions:

• decreased or lack of appetite;
• intestinal disorder;
• muscular dystonia;
• drowsiness, lethargy, slow reaction;
• sudden mood swings, aggression, depressive syndromes;
• decline in sexual activity.

All this may indicate low total cholesterol.

Why is it dangerous?

• Vessels become vulnerable and fragile, cerebral circulation worsens.
• A decrease in serotonin synthesis due to the lack of healthy fats leads to depression, suicidal conditions, increased anxiety, and sleep disorders. In older people it provokes dementia (senile insanity), Alzheimer's disease.
• The level of production and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin D and calcium, sharply decreases. The result is osteoporosis.
• People with low TC are at risk for infertility, because sex hormones require cholesterol.
• Insulin resistance is impaired, which leads to type 2 diabetes.

Therefore, if you feel worse, you should see a doctor and take another blood test. The doctor will be able to take timely measures and adjust your diet.

Advantages and disadvantages of the anti-cholesterol menu

Such nutrition helps improve health, stabilize metabolism, accelerate metabolism, start losing weight and normalize weight. Due to a rich diet, you will not have to constantly feel hungry and the danger of a “breakdown” is reduced to zero. The menu can be tailored to suit your financial capabilities and individual preferences. Taking additional vitamins and minerals reduces the risk of vitamin deficiency to zero, and having a large amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet helps strengthen the immune system.

There are no disadvantages to this diet. However, it should be remembered that it should be carried out with the consent of a doctor and under his supervision, since a sharp decrease in cholesterol levels will bring more time to the body than benefit.