1053rnb app
105.3 RnB Featured Video
CLOSE
Mature Man Ordering Pizza Slice

Source: RyanJLane / Getty

It is never too late for you to decide to change your eating habits and work to improve your health, and when it comes to preventing high cholesterol levels, diet plays an important role. So, here are two ways to use food to help.

1. Chose fats that are good for you. Far too many Americans are consuming too much fat. According to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, “saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and dairy products, raise your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol.” As a rule, they suggest that you should get less than 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fats. You can choose from a list of foods like avocados, olive oil, dark chocolate, and eggs. Fish such as salmon, trout, or mackerel can help get good saturated fat into your diet.

2. Limit the amount of trans fats you consume. In simple terms, trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. It allows for foods to have a longer shelf life but can lead to insulin resistance, inflammation, high cholesterol and belly fat accumulation. The easiest way to cut back on trans fats is to limit the number of processed oils (vegetable oil, corn oil, and lard) and junk food such as snack cakes, chips, cookies, and other processed foods. Check the labels and read the ingredients to determine what you are consuming and be aware of labels stamped as fat-free. Food manufacturers are allowed to place a fat-free label on products that contain small amounts of trans fats.

Following these two tips could help you to maintain good cholesterol levels and good health.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/reduce-cholesterol/art-20045935

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-super-healthy-high-fat-foods

REPRESENT Men’s Health: Tips To Help Lower Your Cholesterol  was originally published on kissrichmond.com