You might want to take care of your wellbeing and cut cholesterol from your diet, but how do you do it and still enjoy your food? Does a low-cholesterol diet doesn’t have to be all oat bran and tofu? Of course not! There are plenty of simple substitutions you can make in your diet that bolster your wellness and still keep you in a state of foodie bliss.
1. Instead of sprinkling croutons, go for walnuts: In carbohydrates, such as croutons, you’ll find a lot of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol. Walnuts, on the other hand, are high in polyunsaturated fat, which works to lower your LDL levels while giving your HDL levels (aka your levels of “good” cholesterol” a hearty boost. So the next time you have a salad, why not go a little bit nutty?
2. Replace cocktail hour with wine time: While research does suggest that a small amount of alcohol can cause your HDL cholesterol levels to rise slightly – which is a good thing – you won’t reap any benefits if you’re knocking back the mojitos and margaritas. Cocktails and mixed drinks with fruit juice contain carbohydrates which, as we’ve previously mentioned, is not great for your cholesterol levels. However, switching to red wine can give you all the benefits you could want for your wellbeing. Aside from having just 10% of the carbohydrate content of a margarita, red wine is packed with antioxidants known as flavonoids, which are believed to lower your LDL and boost your HDL. Still, alcohol can, in large quantities do real damage to your health – as I’m sure you’re aware – so stick to the American Heart Association’s guidelines of two glasses a day for men or one glass for women.
3. Swap cheese and crackers for edamame and nuts: Cheese and crackers are a popular pre- or post-dinner snack, but they are sky-high in saturated fat, which is one of the prime culprits behind high cholesterol. For all the foodie goodness of cheese and crackers but none of the guilt, try almonds and edamame. Almonds have been shown to lower LDL, while edamame – the boiled baby soybeans that are a common appetite whetter in Japanese restaurants – is extremely low in the saturated fat department. Although evidence is conflicting, some wellness experts assert that the soy protein found in edamame actively lowers your LDL. If you’re thinking Japanese soybeans sound a little complicated for an appetiser, all you need to do is buy them frozen, dump them into boiling water, and drain after 5 minutes.
4. Drizzle salads with balsamic vinegar: Any diet wellness or weight loss article you read will probably tell you to avoid salad dressing, or at least have it on the side. However, you don’t need to live a life of leafy dryness. Try drizzling your salads with balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or a nice shallot and grapefruit dressing.
5. Banish butter and bring out the margarine: There’s more than a third of your recommended daily value of saturated fat in just one tablespoon of butter (which, if you’re interested, is seven grams). Moreover, a single tablespoon of butter contains 10% of your daily value for dietary cholesterol. True, butter isn’t as harmful for your health as wellness experts once thought. However, it remains one of the main sources of high cholesterol and atherosclerosis, so switch your butter with a vegetable-oil-based spread. Anything containing olive oil will help you to replace a bad fat with a good fat. With that in mind, use olive oil (or white wine vinegar) when cooking instead of butter.