Cholesterol is a substance that is found in all living organisms. In a man, the adrenal glands, liver and kidneys produce it. About 80% of all cholesterol is produced naturally, the remaining 20% comes with food. The substance has many useful properties. Thanks to cholesterol, proper cell division occurs. But an excess of this substance leads to the development of serious life-threatening diseases.
When is it necessary to lower cholesterol?
Experts agree that an excess of cholesterol leads to the formation of blood clots, impaired liver and kidney function, and reduced performance. Often, to restore normal health, you need a cholesterol diet. This is because increasing the content of a substance in the body can be due to malnutrition. Problems often appear in people who prefer processed foods that are too spicy, oily and salty.
Significantly increases the risk of a large amount of cholesterol in the blood in people older than 50 years. The problem is caused by age-related changes. People leading a sedentary lifestyle, as well as those who suffer from endocrine pathologies, also fall into the risk group. If there were cores in the family, you should also think about the cholesterol diet. The menu will help to draw up a specialist after a full examination of the body.
How to make a menu?
The goal of any diet should not be losing weight in any way. First of all, it is necessary to choose products that are suitable for the normal functioning of a particular organism. If possible, you should contact a specialist who will conduct the examination. Based on the results, an anticholesterol diet will be drawn up. A sample menu for the week, in turn, will be developed in accordance with taste preferences.
The basis of the diet should be vegetables and fruits, complex carbohydrates. We must not forget about protein, without it, the body cannot function normally. Of great importance is also the drinking regime. A healthy person should consume at least 1.5 liters of pure water per day. More fluid should be taken with increased physical exertion.
In order for useful components to be properly absorbed, nutrition must be fractional. There should be three main meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and two additional meals (lunch, afternoon snack). The last time to eat is no later than two hours before bedtime.
What should be a cholesterol diet? The list of foods that should be included in the diet will be presented below.
Vegetables
Fiber should be the basis of a healthy diet. A cholesterol diet is impossible without fresh cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes. However, preference should be given to seasonal products. Vegetables grown in the greenhouse are not the most suitable option. The menu should definitely include salads seasoned with olive oil. Mayonnaise from the diet will have to be excluded. An exception may be a homemade product made from fresh eggs.
Aromatic vegetables such as onions and garlic are excellent in cleansing the body of fat deposits. Foods are good to eat in their pure form, as an addition to the main course. In addition, onions will make the salad more saturated.
Soup and boiled vegetables can also consist of a cholesterol diet. Everyone chooses recipes for themselves based on taste preferences. The only remark: it is not recommended to fry the ingredients. So the beneficial properties of the products are lost.
Seafood
Fish contain a large amount of vitamins A and D. It is no coincidence that seafood lovers are much less likely to encounter the problem of high cholesterol. And it is not necessary to buy expensive crab meat or red caviar. An ordinary herring contains enough useful components necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Preference should be given to slightly salted, but rather fatty sea dishes.
Algae also contain many useful properties. The only negative is that the same seaweed has a specific taste. However, based on it you can cook interesting dishes. For example, you can cook mushroom soup, seaweed, carrots and onions. This option can be used as a first course during a hearty lunch.
What else does it offer to include a cholesterol diet on the menu? Seafood for this case is suitable for almost everyone. But they should be purchased only in trusted locations. It is worth remembering that raw fish may contain parasites.
Legumes
Products in this category contain substances that prevent excessive fat deposition. Therefore, legumes are recommended to be consumed at least three times a week. Boiled beans mixed with pickled onions are a great addition to any side dish. What other foods can the cholesterol diet contain? Mushrooms fried in olive oil and mixed with green peas are an excellent option. The recipe itself is very simple, but such a dish may even decorate a festive table.
Bean sprouts are also considered beneficial. They can be added to salads or consumed independently. If you place the beans in a humid environment, the sprouts appear after 3-4 days. Legumes can be put in a metal bowl and put in the bathroom.
Peas are an affordable and tasty representative of legumes. With this component, you can cook soups, borscht or mashed potatoes. Heat treatment of peas is not scary. Even during the canning process, most of the beneficial properties are preserved.
Citrus
Most fruits contain a lot of sucrose, so eating them without restriction is not recommended. The exception is citrus. Oranges and lemons are a real storehouse of useful trace elements necessary for the normal functioning of blood vessels. Only allergy sufferers will have to give up citrus fruits. Excessive consumption of mandarins, oranges, grapefruits can lead to the development of dermatosis.
There are many delicious dishes made on the basis of citrus. But most of them are not suitable for those who need a cholesterol diet. The fact is that during the heat treatment, the amount of vitamin C in the products is significantly reduced. Orange pie will not be as healthy as fresh mandarin or lemon.
Nuts
Products from this group are classified as complex carbohydrates. With their help, the body is charged with energy and works productively throughout the day. If there are problems with blood vessels, walnuts should be preferred. The phospholipids that make up their composition neutralize cholesterol. In addition, walnuts contain a large amount of vitamin E, which is responsible for cell division.
Nuts are great for afternoon tea or lunch. With their help, you can satisfy hunger without harm to the body. In addition, these products stimulate the brain, which is very important for people in the mental sphere. A handful of nuts eaten before the exam will increase the chances of getting a good grade. Do not eat peanuts with spices. Salt is the enemy of healthy vessels.
The apples
This product is rich in fiber. In addition, apple pectin neutralizes bad cholesterol. Preference should be given to acidic varieties. The advantage of the product is that it can be used in any form. Compote from dried apples is of great benefit. With it, you can quench your thirst, replenish the body's water balance. Dried apples can be consumed in pure form. They can perfectly replace sweets, gingerbread cookies and other sweets.
We must not forget about fresh apples. This fruit is available at any time of the year. If you eat 1 apple daily, the risk of thrombosis, strokes or heart attacks decreases several times. Peeling fruit is not recommended. It contains the largest amount of vitamins and minerals.
Meat
It is generally accepted that animal products are a source of bad cholesterol. This is partly true. But you can’t completely refuse meat. Indeed, it is thanks to him that the body accumulates the protein necessary for the normal functioning of most systems. Especially useful is the meat of young animals, since it contains less connective fibers, which are poorly digested.
Veal and low-fat chicken - these are the products that must be included in the menu for those who decided to try out such a diet as cholesterol diet. The benefits of these products are that they help strengthen blood vessels, stimulate brain function. Along with this, the body does not spend a lot of energy on processing such food. The benefits of meat also largely depend on the method of preparation. Well-digested and do not inhibit the work of body systems, steamed cutlets. Roasted meat will have to be abandoned. From time to time you can bake chicken in the oven. After all, the cholesterol diet should be not only healthy, but also tasty.
Porridge
It is impossible to imagine a healthy diet without a variety of cereals. Buckwheat, rice, millet - all these products are useful, on their basis a cholesterol diet can be made. The menu must also contain oatmeal. This product is rich in complex carbohydrates, fluoride and potassium. Prolonged use of oatmeal will significantly reduce blood cholesterol, strengthen blood vessels. In addition, this porridge is perfect for people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Anti-cholesterol diet: weekly menu
Everyone can develop a diet for himself in accordance with taste preferences. The indicative menu for the week may look like this:
Monday
- breakfast - oatmeal porridge, green tea;
- lunch - vegetable soup, steam cutlets, pea puree;
- dinner - boiled rice, vegetable salad, baked fish.
Tuesday
- breakfast - buckwheat porridge, green tea;
- lunch - seafood soup, steam beef, vegetable salad;
- dinner - mashed potatoes, vegetable salad, boiled hake.
Wednesday
- breakfast - milk porridge, black tea without sugar;
- lunch - borsch, chicken baked in the oven;
- dinner - buckwheat porridge, vegetable salad, fish cakes.
Thursday
- breakfast - low-fat cottage cheese with raisins, black tea without sugar;
- lunch - chicken broth vegetable soup, steam cutlets, vegetable salad.
- dinner - boiled rice, baked turkey.
Friday
- breakfast - oatmeal porridge, dried fruit compote;
- lunch - buckwheat soup, meatballs, vegetable salad.
- dinner - low-fat cottage cheese with dried apricots, green tea.
Saturday
- breakfast - vegetable salad, buckwheat porridge, green tea;
- lunch - fish soup, boiled veal, fresh cucumbers.
- dinner - boiled potatoes with herbs, salad with cabbage and carrots.
Sunday
- breakfast - low-fat cottage cheese with sour cream, green tea;
- lunch - seafood soup, steam cutlets, dried fruit compote;
- dinner - boiled rice, baked hake, sauerkraut.
For snacks, you can use fruits, candied fruits, nuts. A few hours before bedtime, it is useful to drink a glass of low-fat kefir.
What are the results of such nutrition?
Helps improve the functioning of all body systems cholesterol diet. The menu (the reviews about it, by the way, are mostly positive), however, it is advisable to still compile based on the recommendations of a dietitian. Otherwise, no problems will arise, since the products included in it are quite ordinary. True, it is difficult only to readjust to a new diet, to abandon the usual harmful foods. The first results are usually noticeable after 2-3 weeks: extra kilograms go away, working capacity improves, health is normalized.
If you managed to achieve a good effect, you must save it. This means that it is advisable to adhere to a cholesterol diet throughout life. Otherwise, harmful body fat will quickly return. Strictly follow the rules there is no need. But the use of harmful products is desirable to minimize.