Reduce Saturated Fat for High Cholesterol

Assorted nuts

Most doctors recommend that patients who have high cholesterol levels try to control their cholesterol by reducing the amount of saturated fat in their diets. Making dietary and lifestyle changes is a very effective way to treat high cholesterol. Circulatory problems are one of the fastest, easiest health problems to correct. They respond very quickly to changes in diet. Correcting circulatory problems, such as high cholesterol levels, is an important step in prevention and recovery from heart disease. According to the American Medical Association, many heart-bypass operations would be unnecessary if the patient would first try 30 days of a high-fiber, low-fat diet before the surgery. Every time cholesterol levels drop by one percent, a patient’s risk of heart disease drops by two percent. Studies also show that diet and lifestyle changes could eliminate the need for high blood pressure medication in 97 percent of the people who take it (however, if you are trying to get off of any medication, make sure to check with your doctor first – often it is not safe to suddenly stop taking a medication that your body has grown to depend on).

There are a few doctors who disagree with the advice to avoid saturated fat. These doctors point out that humans need healthy fats, which supply energy, help people to feel full longer, lubricate the intestines (to prevent constipation), generate body heat, carry fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K to the body’s cells, and produce and maintain the myelin shafts that protect nerve fibers in the nervous system and in the brain. However, even doctors who point out the importance of fats in the diet advise patients to keep their saturated fat intake moderate and to be sure to also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially raw fruits and vegetables.

Reducing Saturated Fat to Prevent or Reduce High Cholesterol

Method

• Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, such as meat, cream, and coconut and palm oils.
• Eat a diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Include the following foods, which studies show are especially good at lowering cholesterol levels, in your diet regularly: oatmeal or oat bran, walnuts and almonds, fish or a fish oil supplement, olive oil, garlic, pysillium fiber, barley, artichokes, and foods that have been fortified with plant stanols or plant stenols.

Why It Works

Cholesterol in the blood comes from two sources. Humans make their own cholesterol, but they also get cholesterol from their diets. If you reduce one of the body’s sources of cholesterol, it is not surprising that the body’s overall cholesterol level decreases.

Precautions

As you try to lower the saturated fat content of your diet, make sure that you do not substitute margarine for butter. Margarine and vegetable shortening contain trans fats that become oxidized when they are exposed to heat (such as the heat inside the body) and clog the arteries. Trans fats also increase your risk of cancer by increasing the formation of free radicals that can damage the DNA of cells. Also, do not substitute nondairy cream for dairy cream, because nondairy creams often contain coconut oil, which is a highly saturated fat. If you need to use cream, try using almond, rice, or soy milk instead.

Also, be sure that you do not drop your saturated fat level all the way to zero, because the body does need some fat to keep the nervous system healthy and to carry fat-soluble vitamins into the body. Most doctors recommend that fat make up between eight and ten percent of your diet.

More Remedies

• Click here for all High Cholesterol remedies