Veggie Blog

Selecting cholesterol-free foods

Almost everybody knows the effects of too much cholesterol in the body. High cholesterol here refers mainly to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which can deposit fatty plaques in the walls of the arteries, narrowing them and hindering the flow of blood. This is what makes the arterial walls atherogenic, or prone to hardening. While many people do not fully appreciate the importance of cholesterol, this waxy, non-soluble substance is essential for building cell membranes, making bile, forming nerve sheaths and producing hormones.

However, high cholesterol over a long period contributes to cardiovascular disease and to atherosclerosis, a build-up of fatty substances and fibrous tissue in the inner walls of the arteries.

Good ways to prevent and lower high cholesterol are healthy eating habits together with regular exercise. An unhealthy lifestyle and overindulgence tend to raise cholesterol levels.

Good eating habits include:

1. Planning a low-cholesterol everyday menu around vegetable-packed recipes, together with a good supply of fibre-rich fruits. If you can buy or grow organic produce, for example from an organic garden, that is a bonus, although there is no evidence that organic food itself lowers cholesterol. Carbohydrates should be complex rather than refined.

Many supermarkets now stock a good range of fresh green vegetables like lettuce. The soluble fibre in vegetables (and in oats, beans and fruit) helps lower LDL cholesterol, and plant foods contain no cholesterol at all. On the other hand, foods high in saturated and trans fats raise LDL cholesterol, which can then settle in the arteries as the lipoprotein particles travel through the bloodstream.

2. If eggs are part of your meals and your LDL cholesterol is high, eat more egg white and fewer yolks. Choose breads made from whole wheat, and noodles made from whole grains. Go easy on the sugar in your drinks. Highly refined foods are processed for whiteness and fine texture for marketing reasons, and they lose much of their fibre and nutrients along the way.

3. Water is the body’s main solvent. Drinking enough water supports digestion and blood circulation, though water by itself does not lower cholesterol.

4. Eat more whole, fresh produce rather than processed or baked foods made with additives, colourings and extenders for commercial purposes.

5. Drink fresh fruit juices in moderation, instead of manufactured soft drinks with added sugar, artificial colourings and additives. Sugary drinks are linked to worse cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Heavy coffee drinking, especially unfiltered coffee, can also raise cholesterol somewhat.

Always remember that trans fats and hydrogenated fats or oils used in frying or in food processing are even more harmful than the saturated fats found in some oils. Use healthier oils when preparing your meals, especially olive oil. It may be more expensive, but it is a good choice for the whole family’s heart health.

The first thing to do is to have your cholesterol checked regularly, so that you can catch a rise early. High cholesterol has no symptoms of its own, but over time it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.