|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
For more information about
cholesterol and food, log on to My Health eVet
at www.myhealth.va.gov.
|
|
You probably think cholesterol
is bad for you, right?
Well, that depends on
which kind of cholesterol you’re
talking about. The kind you eat,
dietary cholesterol, is found in animal
products. The kind the doctor
tests is blood cholesterol. However,
fat, especially saturated fat—not
dietary cholesterol—mainly determines
how high your blood cholesterol
counts will be.
So, can you eat as much dietary
cholesterol as you want? Not really.
Keep reading to find out more.
How much cholesterol do I
need to eat? You don’t need to
eat any cholesterol even though
it’s essential to many bodily functions.
Your body makes all it
needs. Experts recommend that
someone with a 2,000-calorie diet
eat less than 300 milligrams of
cholesterol a day—the equivalent
of one whole egg and 31/2 ounces
of drained, oil-packed tuna—and
less than 65 grams of fat. Your
cholesterol and fat intake figures
will change depending on your
health care provider’s recommendations,
your caloric intake and
your risk of heart disease.
I’ve heard about “good” cholesterol.
What is it? Although
good cholesterol, called HDL cholesterol,
exists, you can’t eat it.
Your body makes it. HDL carries
“bad,” or LDL, cholesterol out of
the body. The more fat you eat, the
more LDLs are made. If you make
more LDLs than the HDLs can
carry out, your arteries may be
more prone to blockage.
What are the three major types
of fat?
Monounsaturated fats are
your best choice. These fats may
help reduce blood cholesterol.
Sources include olive oil, canola
oil, peanut oil, nuts and avocados.
Polyunsaturated fats may also help
lower blood cholesterol. Sources
include vegetable oils such as corn,
sesame and sunflower oil.
Saturated fats can raise the blood cholesterol
level and should, therefore,
be limited to 8 percent to 10 percent
of your diet. Sources include
meat, poultry with skin, butter and
whole-milk dairy products.
What are trans fats? Trans fatty
acids are made when hydrogen is
added to vegetable oil. The process,
called hydrogenation, turns liquid
fat into solid fat that maintains its
shelf life for much longer than nonhydrogenated
fat. Trans fats are
found in foods like margarine,
cookies and fried foods.
What’s worse for my cholesterol...scrambled eggs or a
muffin? A muffin! While eggs have
a lot of dietary cholesterol (one egg
has two-thirds the recommended
daily amount), they are low in fat
and calories and contain protein
and vitamin A. Muffins are high
in fat and have little nutritional
benefit.
The American Heart Association
recommends that healthy people
limit themselves to three eggs a
week. That includes eggs in baked
items like cakes and muffins. Egg
whites are unlimited.
What about shrimp and other
shellfish? Since shellfish is very
low in fat, particularly saturated
fat, it’s no more likely to raise
blood cholesterol than lean meat.
Does my family history of
cholesterol problems affect me?
Yes. Even if your own levels are
low, you have to keep an eye on
your diet. You should also get your
cholesterol levels checked more
often than once every three to five
years, the schedule for patients at
low risk. You can also help keep
your numbers in the normal range
by quitting smoking, maintaining a
healthy weight and controlling high
blood pressure.
|
This heart-healthy alternative to traditional fried chicken is spicy and easy to make.
The ginger is a pleasant surprise for your taste buds.
- Vegetable oil spray, butter-flavored or
original
- 1 & 1/3 cups wheat-flake or corn-flake cereal,
lightly crushed (1 to 1.5 oz.)
- 1/3 clove garlic, crushed, or 1/4 tsp.
bottled minced garlic (optional)
- 1/3 tsp. ground ginger, or to taste
- 4 pieces chicken (about 1 lb.), skinned,
all visible fat removed
- 1/3 tsp. paprika
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
2. Place cereal in a pie pan on a piece of foil. Stir in garlic. Set aside.
3. Combine ginger, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle seasonings on both sides of
each piece.
5. Roll chicken in cereal crumbs to coat. Spray chicken lightly on all sides with vegetable
oil spray. Place on prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until chicken is golden-brown and tender. Timing will
vary according to the thickness of the chicken pieces.
Serves 2. Per serving: 235 calories, 28 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 6 g total fat (2 g saturated fat,
2 g polyunsaturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat), 77 mg cholesterol, 206 mg sodium
Adapted from the American Heart Association’s Low-Fat, Low Cholesterol Cookbook, Second edition
© 2002 Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.
|
|
|
