Dr. Ahmed
High cholesterol is associated with atherosclerotic diseases such as heart disease, strokes, fatty liver, NASH, and kidney diseases.
A diet plan for lowering cholesterol levels can augment the effects of medications and people may not even need to use medications if a proper diet plan for lowering cholesterol is followed.
Physicians usually tell their patients to avoid fatty and oily meals but that is probably not enough. Even the extra carbs a person takes are converted in our body into cholesterol and stored in the liver.
Furthermore, dietary intervention and exercise are the two important steps to lowering blood cholesterol levels before a person is prescribed pills.
Cholesterol pills have serious side effects too. One just needs to slightly modify his/ her dietary habits and that is all. In addition, certain dietary supplements may help you lower your cholesterol levels without the need to take medications.
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Introduction:
Hyperlipidemia or high blood cholesterol is a serious condition that increases the risk of heart disease. If you have high cholesterol levels your risk of getting a heart attack almost doubles.
However, you can take steps to lower your blood cholesterol levels.
What is Cholesterol and Why is it Dangerous?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that maintains the structure of cell walls in the body. It aids in the production of fat-soluble vitamins, bile acids, and some hormones.
Cholesterol cannot travel freely in blood so it travels in the form of lipoproteins. HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) are two forms of lipoproteins.
Triglyceride is another bad cholesterol and is especially a problem in obese people and people with diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
Very high triglyceride levels can cause inflammation in our bodies. A triglyceride level that exceeds 800 mg/dl is considered serious.
It may cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) which is a very serious condition and often results in hospitalization of the patient in an intensive care unit.
The risk of heart disease increases when LDL levels are high and HDL levels are low. This is because excess LDL cholesterol accumulates in the arteries causing atherosclerosis.
A high HDL cholesterol is protective. It takes the cholesterol in your arteries to the liver where it is stored or used.
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What are Normal Cholesterol Levels?
The Normal Cholesterol levels for the general population are:
- Total cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL
- LDL cholesterol less than 130 mg/dL
- HDL cholesterol greater than 40 mg/ dL in men and 50 mg/dl in women.
- Triglycerides less than 150 mg/dl.
For patients with diabetes, the LDL cut-off is 100 mg/dl or less. For patients with IHD (ischemic heart disease), the LDL cut-off is less than 70 mg/dl.
Diet Plan for Lowering Cholesterol levels: What to eat for Breakfast?
Day |
Breakfast |
Total Cholesterol |
Total Calories |
| Monday | ½ cup Greek yogurt topped with banana chunks and walnuts | 10 mg | 240 |
| Tuesday | 1 Cup Blueberry Oats | 10 mg | 250 |
| Wednesday | Whole wheat French Toast (2) Made with olive oil | 0 | 310 |
| Thursday | Veggie omelet made with egg whites (2) +
bran bread slices (2) + 1 cup fat-free milk |
10 mg | 400 |
| Friday | Granola Bars (2) +
1 cup fat-free milk |
29 mg | 260 |
| Saturday | whole wheat bread (2 slices) with avocado spread | 0 | 350 |
| Sunday | Scrambled egg whites with spinach +
whole wheat bread (2 slices) |
10 mg | 360 |
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Diet Plan for Lowering Cholesterol levels: What to eat at Lunch?
Day |
Lunch |
Total Cholesterol |
Total Calories |
| Monday | Kidney beans cooked with olive oil +
whole wheat pita bread + beets, cucumber, and apple salad |
0 | 420 |
| Tuesday | Sautéed Mushroom chicken (skinless) +
whole wheat tortilla + Mango chunks |
110 mg | 370 |
| Wednesday | 3 oz Tuna stuffed with salt, pepper, and lemon +
Honey glazed veggies |
30 mg | 350 |
| Thursday | Turkey stir fry with brown rice +
Roasted vegetables |
115 mg | 340 |
| Friday | Grilled Salmon (3 oz) +
corn salad + 1 cup pomegranate juice |
63 mg | 410 |
| Saturday | Chicken steak +
sour cream sauce + mashed potato |
92 mg | 380 |
| Sunday | Vegetable rice (1/2 cup) +
Pineapple chunks |
0 | 250 |
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Diet Plan for Lowering Cholesterol levels: What to eat at Dinner?
Day |
Dinner |
Total Cholesterol |
Total Calories |
| Monday | Cheesy vegetable sandwich (made with cottage cheese) (2) +
Grapefruit juice (1 cup) |
20 mg | 370 |
| Tuesday | Red lentil soup (1 cup) +
garlic bread + Peach (1) |
0 | 385 |
| Wednesday | Whole wheat cheesy spinach pasta (1 cup) +
(Cooked with low-fat or cottage cheese) + 1 cup pineapple juice |
125 mg | 420 |
| Thursday | Veggie + hummus sandwich (1)+
1 pear |
0 | 310 |
| Friday | Chickpea stew +
brown rice (1/2 cup) + onions and tomato salad |
0 | 340 |
| Saturday | Vegetable soup with spinach (1 cup) | 0 | 210 |
| Sunday | Chicken +
avocado salad (1 cup) + Mint smoothie (1 cup) |
95 mg | 340 |
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Diet Plan for Lowering Cholesterol (High Cholesterol Meal Plan) Summarized:
A 1200-1300 calories meal plan designed to lower overall body weight and total cholesterol levels.
| Day | Breakfast | Snack | Lunch | Snack | Dinner | Total Cholesterol | Total Calories |
| Monday | ½ cup Greek yogurt topped with banana chunks and walnuts
Total calories: 240 Total cholesterol: 10 mg |
Carrot juice (1 cup)
Calories: 100 |
Kidney beans cooked with olive oil + whole wheat pita bread + beets, cucumber, and apple salad
Calories: 420 |
½ cup nuts and seeds mixture
Calories: 150
|
Cheesy vegetable sandwich (made with cottage cheese) (2)
Grapefruit juice (1 cup) Calories: 370 Cholesterol: 20 mg |
30 mg | 1280 |
| Tuesday | 1 Cup Blueberry Oats
Calories: 250 Cholesterol: 10 mg |
Pineapple + avocado salad (1 cup)
Calories: 150 |
Sautéed Mushroom chicken (skinless) + whole wheat tortilla +
Mango chunks Total calories: 370 Cholesterol: 110 mg |
1 cup coffee
(Prepared with fat-free milk)
Calories: 120 Cholesterol: 10 mg |
Red lentil soup (1 cup) + garlic bread
Peach (1) Calories: 385
|
130 mg | 1275 |
| Wednesday | Whole wheat French Toast (2) Made with olive oil
Calories: 310 |
Boiled egg whites (3)
Calories: 60
|
3 oz Tuna stuffed with salt, pepper, and lemon +
Honey glazed veggies Calories: 350 Cholesterol: 30 mg |
Peanut butter (2 tbsp)
Calories: 90
|
Whole wheat cheesy spinach pasta (1 cup)
(Cooked with low-fat or cottage cheese) + 1 cup pineapple juice Calories: 420 Cholesterol: 125 mg |
155mg | 1230 |
| Thursday | Veggie omelet made with egg whites (2) + bran bread slices (2)
1 cup fat-free milk Calories: 400 Cholesterol: 10 mg |
Watermelon and tomato salad (1 cup)
Calories: 120 |
Turkey stir fry with brown rice + Roasted vegetables
Calories: 340 Cholesterol: 115 mg |
Dark chocolate, whole wheat muffin (1)
Calories: 120 Cholesterol: 5 mg |
Veggie + hummus sandwich (1)
+ 1 pear Calories: 310 |
130 mg | 1290 |
| Friday | Granola Bars (2) +
1 cup fat-free milk Calories: 260 Cholesterol: 29 mg |
Pepper stuffed sweet potato (/2 cup)
Calories: 120 |
Grilled Salmon (3 oz) + corn salad +
1 cup pomegranate juice Calories: 410 Cholesterol: 63 mg |
Roasted almonds (12)
Calories: 120 |
Chickpea stew + brown rice (1/2 cup)
+ onions and tomato salad Calories: 340
|
92 mg | 1250 |
| Saturday | whole wheat bread (2 slices) with avocado spread
1 cup orange juice Calories: 350 |
Berries salad (1 cup)
Calories: 120 |
Chicken steak + sour cream sauce
+ mashed potato Calories: 380 Cholesterol: 92 mg |
Cookies (2)
Calories: 150 Cholesterol 5 mg |
Vegetable soup with spinach (1 cup)
Calories: 210 |
97 mg | 1200 |
| Sunday | Scrambled egg whites with spinach + whole wheat bread (2 slices)
Calories: 360 Cholesterol: 10mg |
Sweet corn salad (1/2 cup)
Calories: 130 |
Vegetable rice (1/2 cup)
Pineapple chunks Calories: 250 |
1 cup carrot juice
Calories: 120 mg |
Chicken + avocado salad (1 cup)
Mint smoothie (1 cup) Calories: 340 Cholesterol: 95 mg |
105 mg | 1200 |
Here is a summary of a one-week meal plan for lowering cholesterol levels in PDF Format.
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Recommendations for lowering cholesterol levels:
- Focus on cooking methods, roast, steam, stir fry or sauté e seafood, chicken, and vegetables in a minimum amount of vegetable oil or olive oil
- Cool sown soups and stews for at least one hour to remove the congealed fat
- Use less salt in cooking
- Use low-fat, skimmed, or evaporated milk
- Use sour cream, cottage cheese, or yogurt instead of high-fat cheese.
- Replace salt with herbs and spices
- Prefer skinless meat and egg whites
- Choose whole grains to boost your fiber intake.
- May take supplements like Niacin and other supplements that help lower your cholesterol levels.
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