Cooking for Lower Cholesterol

It's not hard to whip up recipes that fit with the low saturated fat, low trans fat, low-cholesterol eating plan recommended by scientists to help you manage your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Discover how easy it is to avoid excess saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol while enjoying mouth-watering dishes.

The cooking tips listed below will help you prepare tasty, heart-healthy meals.

Reduce saturated fat in meat and poultry 

    The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than six ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry (skinless), fish or seafood a day for people who need 2,000 calories. Most meats have about the same amount of cholesterol, roughly 70 milligrams in each three-ounce cooked serving (about the size of a deck of cards). But the amount of saturated fat in meats can vary widely, depending on the cut and how it's prepared. Here are some ways to reduce the saturated fat in meat: 

• Select lean cuts of meat with minimal visible fat. Lean beef cuts include the round, chuck, sirloin or loin. Lean pork cuts include the tenderloin or loin chop, while lean lamb cuts come from the leg, arm and loin.
• Buy "choice" or "select" grades rather than "prime." Select lean or extra lean ground beef.
• Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking.
• Broil rather than pan-fry meats such as hamburger, lamb chops, pork chops and steak.
• Use a rack to drain off fat when broiling, roasting or baking. Instead of basting with drippings, keep meat moist with wine, fruit juices or an acceptable oil-based marinade.
• Cook a day ahead of time. Stews, boiled meat, soup stock or other dishes in which fat cooks into the liquid can be refrigerated. Then the hardened fat can be removed from the top.
• When a recipe calls for browning the meat first, try browning it under the broiler instead of in a pan.
• Eat chicken and turkey rather than duck and goose, which are higher in fat. Choose white meat most often when eating poultry.
• Remove the skin from chicken or turkey, before cooking. If your poultry dries out too much, first try basting with wine, fruit juices or an acceptable oil-based marinade and if that does not help, leave the skin on for cooking but remove before eating.
• Limit processed meats to none or no more than two servings per week. Examples of processed meats include sausage, bologna, salami and hot dogs. Many processed meats — even those with "reduced fat" labels — are high in calories and saturated fat. They are often high in sodium as well. Read labels carefully and choose such meats only now and then.
• Organ meats such as liver, sweetbreads, kidney and brain are very high in cholesterol. If you're on a cholesterol-lowering diet, eat them only occasionally.

Use liquid vegetable oils in place of solid fats 

    Liquid vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and olive can often be used instead of solid fats such as butter, lard or shortening. If you must use margarine, try the soft or liquid kind. Use a little liquid oil to:

• Pan-fry fish and poultry.
• Saute vegetables.
• Make cream sauces and soups using low-fat or fat-free milk.
• Add to whipped or scalloped potatoes using low-fat or fat-free milk.
• Brown rice for Spanish, curried or stir-fried rice.
• Cook dehydrated potatoes and other prepared foods that call for fat to be added.
• Make pancakes or waffles.

​Choose fish at least twice a week 

    Fish can be fatty or lean, but it's still low in saturated fat; choose oily fish high in omga-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout and herring. Prepare fish baked, broiled, grilled or boiled rather than breaded and fried without added salt, saturated and trans fats. Shrimp and crawfish have more cholesterol than most other types of seafood, but they're lower in total fat and saturated fat than most meats and poultry.


Reduce the meat in your meal 

    Try meatless meals featuring vegetables or beans — think eggplant lasagna, a big grilled portobello mushroom on a bun in place of a burger, or beans-n-weenies without the weenies and salt. Or think of meat as a condiment in casseroles, stews, low sodium soups and spaghetti — use it sparingly, just for flavor, rather than as a main ingredient.


Cook fresh vegetables the low-saturated and trans fats, low-salt way 

    Try cooking vegetables in a tiny bit of vegetable oil, adding a little water during cooking if needed, or use a vegetable oil spray. Just 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil is enough for a package of plain frozen vegetables without sauce or seasonings that serves four. Place in a skillet with tight cover, season, and cook over a very low heat until vegetables are done.

Add herbs and spices to make vegetables even tastier. For example, these combinations add new and subtle flavors:

• Rosemary with peas, cauliflower and squash
• Oregano with zucchini
• Dill with green beans
• Marjoram with Brussels sprouts, carrots and spinach
• Basil with tomatoes

Start with a small quantity (1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon to a package of frozen vegetables), then let your own and your family's taste be your guide. Chopped parsley and chives, sprinkled on just before serving, also enhance the flavor of many vegetables.


Substitute egg whites for whole eggs 

    The cholesterol in eggs is all in the yolks --- without the yolk, egg whites are a heart-healthy source of protein. Many recipes calling for whole eggs come out just as good when you use egg whites or cholesterol-free egg substitute instead of whole eggs. Replace each whole egg with two egg whites. For baking, you may want to add a tablespoon or less of liquid vegetable oil such as canola, safflower, sunflower or soybean for a moister consistency.

---

For more info on this subject this click Here!
​
Information originally from the American Heart Association located at: 
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/Cooking-for-Lower-Cholesterol_UCM_305630_Article.jsp

---

Meals without Meat

    Going meatless at a meal every now and then can help you lower your cholesterol and may reduce your risk for cardiovascular diseases. And unlike a strict vegetarian diet, mixing in some meatless meals won’t require you to give up your carnivorous ways. You can still eat lean meat – just less of it.“Most of the cholesterol-raising saturated fat Americans eat comes from meat and full-fat dairy products such as whole milk cheese,” said Alice Lichtenstein, D.Sc., a professor of nutrition at the USDA Human Nutrition Center at Tufts University in Boston and a member of the American Heart Association’s Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health.

    “If you decrease your daily intake of animal fat, you’re going to decrease your intake of saturated fat,” she said.

    So what’s for dinner when you take meat off the menu? You have more options than you might think. A burger makeover could feature a grilled portobello mushroom in place of a beef patty. Or fill a pot of chili with white beans and vegetables instead of ground chuck.

    Many meatless meals are as simple as moving vegetables and fruits from a side dish to a starring role. You should also seek out high-fiber whole grains, beans and legumes, unsalted nuts and low-fat  and fat-free dairy foods. These tend to be high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and other important phytonutrients, said Rachel Johnson, Ph.D., R.D., a nutrition professor at the University of Vermont and vice chair of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee.

    An easy way to get started is to eat one meatless meal a week, Johnson said. Sticking with it can quickly make you start feeling lighter and your wallet fatter: People who eat less meat tend to consume fewer calories, and foods such as beans are one of the most cost-effective sources of protein available. Meat typically costs more per pound than other protein sources.

You don’t have to go cold turkey on meat to reap the heart-healthy rewards. Whether you’re a fan of red meat, poultry or fish, choose lean and extra lean cuts and limit portion size to avoid excess saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends the average person eat no more than six ounces of cooked lean meat, skinless chicken and seafood per day, 4-5 servings per week.

    But a meatless meal doesn’t automatically translate to less saturated fat. “You can drop meat, but if you substitute quiche for steak, you’re not going to get any advantage in terms of heart health,” said Lichtenstein, who also heads the Cardiovascular Nutrition Lab at Tufts.

Other tips for helping meat lovers go meatless:

• Keep the refrigerator and pantry stocked with meatless alternatives, such as low-sodium canned beans, unsalted nuts, high-fiber whole grains and tofu.
• Buy a cookbook filled with recipes for meatless meals. “The New American Heart Association Cookbook” offers more than 50 pages of meat-free entrees. Pick out several recipes you’d like to try and add the ingredients to your grocery shopping list.
• Keep on hand a few convenient meatless foods you like, such as veggie burgers and vegetarian microwavable meals.

---

Information originally from the American Heart Association located at: 
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionandTreatmentofofHighCholesterol/Meals-Without-Meat_UCM_430994_Article.jsp

---

Dining Out on a Low SOdium Diet

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that you consume no more than 1500 milligrams of sodium per day.  This can be difficult to achieve if you eat out regularly.  Americans get more than three-quarters of their sodium intake from processed and prepared foods, including restaurant foods.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) examined 17 restaurant chains and found that 85 out of 102 meals had more than a day’s worth of sodium.  Some had more than four days’ worth.  Here are ten tips for how to cut back on your sodium intake when eating out.

1.  Choose dishes with fresh vegetables.  Ask if the vegetables are fresh, not canned or frozen with added salt.  For example, choose a pasta dish with ingredients like fresh tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms rather than a canned tomato sauce. 
2. If you are having pasta, ask that no salt be added to the water when it boils.
3. Stick to entrees that can be baked, broiled or sautéed without salt rather than mixed casserole dishes that are pre-prepared.
4. Limit the extras like ketchup, mustard, pickles and olives that contain a lot of sodium.  Ask if the salad dressing is made fresh without added salt or use oil and vinegar.
5. Ask for sauces to be served on the side and use them sparingly.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask that no salt be added to your food.  This may be easier in locally owned restaurants where the food is cooked fresh rather than chain restaurants that rely on pre-prepared dishes.
2. Don’t use the salt shaker.  Ask that it be removed from the table if you need to reduce temptation.
3. Choose fresh fruit, sorbet or fruit ice for dessert.
4. Focus on every course, not just the entrée.  Breads, appetizers, salads, and desserts can be loaded with sodium.
5. Frequent restaurants that use icons to point out healthy options.  The AHA has a new program to help you choose healthy meals at restaurants. The Subway restaurant chain is the first to display the Heart-Check Meal Certification logo next to certain selected meals.  The AHA certification logo is displayed on Subway meals that meet the AHA’s nutritional criteria for sodium as well as calories, cholesterol, saturated fat and trans-fats.

---

Information originally from the American Heart Association located at: 
http://blog.heart.org/dining-out-on-a-low-sodium-diet/

---

Low Cholesterol Recipes

Discover how easy it is to avoid excess saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol while enjoying mouth-watering dishes. These recipes are brought to you exclusively online by the American Heart Association’s Patient Education program. Check back here for new recipes posted several times a year!

Breakfast and Fruits

Creamy Apricot Oatmeal
Warm, comforting, and healthy, too—a bowl of oatmeal is all those things. You won’t want to add sugar and milk once you’ve tasted how good the apricots and yogurt make this quick-and-easy breakfast dish.

Potato and Egg Scramble
A topping of stewed tomatoes adds a zesty zip to this hearty potato and egg breakfast dish.

Salads

Chicken Rotini Salad with Rosemary
The combination of bright green spinach, rich red tomatoes, and shiny black olives makes this salad pop with color as well as taste.

Sides

Chilled Asian Asparagus Spears
A cool and tangy change from the usual cooked asparagus, this dish is perfect as a complement to an entrée or as an elegant party appetizer.

Black Bean and Brown Rice Salad
Fresh cilantro adds its clean taste and lime juice provides a tangy zing to this fiber-rich salad.

Lemon Green Beans with Parsley and Almonds
The lively taste of lemon and the wonderful crunch of dry-roasted almonds add the perfect accents to fresh green beans.

Marinated Vegetable Salad
The vibrant colors and flavors of this salad add pizzazz to any meal.

Savory Sweet Potato Fries Savory seasonings provide zesty flavor to vibrantly colored, nutrition-rich oven-fried sweet potatoes.

​Desserts

Chocolate Pudding Cake
Rich and gooey, this easy-to-prepare pudding cake is intensely satisfying. It magically bakes into two distinct layers, one cakelike and the other a chocolate pudding sauce.

Strawberry Breakfast Mousse Creme
No more skipping breakfast! This breakfast treat, even creamier than the typical mousse, is a fabulously cool way to begin the day. You can even make it up to 24 hours in advance.

Main Dishes

Greek Meatball and Orzo Soup
Shredded carrot adds moistness to these meatballs, which are the stars of this satisfying soup.     

Mediterranean Seafood Stew
It doesn’t take long to prep and cook this comforting stew, so it’s a great choice for dinner after a busy day. The stew’s very mild fish flavor should appeal even to people who usually aren’t seafood lovers.

Bunless Beef-and-Bean Burgers
Hearty, bunless burger recipe that calls for less ground beef which adds up to less cholesterol and saturated fat.

No-Bake Veggie Lasagna Stacks
A delicious lasagna recipe that doesn't require hours in the kitchen.  You can make these lasagna stacks up to five days in advance and just heat them up in the microwave when you are ready to eat.
 Layered Mexican Casserole
A spritz of fresh lime juice is the perfect finishing touch to this casserole, which is a handy way for using up leftover chicken breasts.

Lemony Tilapia and Asparagus Grill
Dinner is so quick and easy when you grill tilapia and asparagus side by side. A combination of chili powder and lemon pepper enhances the mild flavor of the fish, and a seasoned vinegar and oil mixture adds flair to the asparagus.

Lettuce-Wrap Tacos with Black Beans and Corn
These tacos don’t require any cooking, which makes it easy for you to put together a quick lunch and be on your way.

---

Information originally from the American Heart Association located at: 
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/CholesterolToolsResources/Low-Cholesterol-Recipes_UCM_305655_Article.jsp