high cholesterol diet

Cholesterol is one of the beneficial substances that are involved in metabolism. Cholesterol enters the body from animal products.

Cholesterol is a lipophilic alcohol that plays a role in the formation of cell membranes, the synthesis of certain hormones and vitamins, and other metabolic processes.

Cholesterol is necessary for the body, but its high content can lead to diseases of the cardiovascular system, in particular atherosclerosis.

Cholesterol is transported throughout the body with the bloodstream by transporters: high- and low-density lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins are called "bad" cholesterol, and when they increase in the blood, the risk of cardiovascular pathology increases significantly. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend reducing its level. However, a decrease in high-density lipoproteins increases the risk of heart disease.

The norm of blood cholesterol in healthy people is 5 mol / l and below. Cholesterol intake by healthy people should not be more than 300 mg per day and with an increased blood cholesterol content (hypercholesterolemia) of no more than 200 mg per day.

General description of the diet

The purpose of the diet for high cholesterol is to reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol, prevent the development of pathology of the cardiovascular system, normalize the functioning of the kidneys and liver, activate metabolic processes and improve blood circulation.

The diet must meet the principle of mechanical economy, which has a beneficial effect not only on the digestive system, but also on the cardiovascular system.

The high cholesterol diet corresponds to treatment charts #10 and #10C.

The treatment schedule for high cholesterol includes restriction of salt and fats (mostly from animal sources).

Table features (per day):

• energy value is 2190 - 2570 kcal;
• proteins - 90 g. , of which 55 - 60% are of animal origin;
• fats 70 - 80 gr. , of which at least 30 gr. vegetable;
• carbohydrates no more than 300 gr. for overweight people and for people with normal body weight 350 gr.

diet basics

Diet

Fractionated food, 5 times a day. This allows you to reduce food portions and suppress hunger between meals.

Temperature

Food temperature is normal, there are no restrictions.

salt

The amount of table salt is limited to 3 - 5 gr. , Food is prepared without salt, if necessary, salted at the table. Salt causes fluid retention in the body, which increases the load on the cardiovascular system.

Liquid

The use of free fluid up to 1. 5 liters (discharging the cardiovascular and urinary systems).

Alcohol

Alcohol should be avoided, especially strong liquor. But doctors recommend (in the absence of contraindications) taking 50-70 ml of natural red wine in the evening, which contains flavonoids with antioxidant properties (thus, dry red wine protects the walls of blood vessels from the formation of atherosclerotic plaques). In addition, a strict smoking ban is imposed.

Weight

Obese and overweight people need to normalize their weight. Excess fat in the body is an additional source of "bad" cholesterol and also complicates the work of the heart and blood vessels.

Foods rich in lipotropic substances and vitamins

Preference should be given to fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins C and P, group B, potassium and magnesium salts. These vitamins protect vascular walls due to antioxidant action, and potassium and magnesium are involved in heart rhythm.

fats

Whenever possible, vegetable fats should be replaced as much as possible. Vegetable fats do not contain cholesterol, in addition, they are useful for the walls of blood vessels with a high content of vitamin E (antioxidant).

Forbidden foods for high cholesterol

The list of prohibited foods for high cholesterol mainly includes animal fats - they are the source of "bad" cholesterol.

You should also refuse carbohydrates, which are easily digested, turning into fats and, as a result, cholesterol.

You should not eat foods that activate and excite the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Food should be steamed, boiled or baked. Frying products are excluded as low density lipoproteins and carcinogens are formed during the frying process. Almost all vegetables are eaten cooked, as raw fiber in large amounts causes flatulence.

List of prohibited products:

• rich fresh bread, products made from yeast and puff pastry, pancakes, fried pies, pancakes, pasta from soft wheat varieties (contain easily digestible carbohydrates);
• high-fat whole milk, full-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, cheeses;
• fried and boiled eggs (especially the yolk - a source of saturated fat);
• soups in a concentrated, fatty broth of fish and meat, mushroom broths;
• fatty meats (lamb, pork), poultry (duck, goose), chicken skin, especially fried, sausages, sausages;
• fatty fish, caviar, salted fish, canned food, fried fish with margarine and solid fats;
• solid fats (lard, margarine, cooking oil);
• squid, shrimp;
• natural coffee made from beans (when brewing, the fats come out of the beans);
• vegetables, especially fried in solid fats (fries, chips, fried in soup), coconuts and salted nuts;
• mayonnaise, sour cream and cream sauces;
• confectionery creams, chocolate, cocoa, cakes, ice cream.

approved products

Foods recommended in a high cholesterol diet should contain a lot of unsaturated fatty acids, which are sources of "good" cholesterol.

First of all, this applies to fish, which include omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. Fish is also a source of vitamin D.

A large amount of soluble fiber (oats) increases the level of high-density lipoproteins. Fresh vegetables and fruits contain large amounts of antioxidants that strengthen vascular walls. There are also a lot of antioxidants (vitamin E) in nuts.

A high-cholesterol diet is designed to normalize the ratio of high-grade lipoproteins (increasing) and low-grade lipoproteins (downwards).

List of allowed products:

• dry or yesterday's bread, wholemeal flour, bread with bran, durum wheat dough;
• vegetable oils in any amount, with the exception of palm oil (stuff salads with unrefined vegetable oil);
• vegetables: potatoes, cauliflower and white cabbage, carrots (removes toxins), lettuce (source of folic acid), squash, zucchini, beets;
• lean meats and poultry (rabbit, turkey and skinless chicken, veal, lean meat);
• seafood: limited scallops, oysters, mussels and crabs;
• fish, especially from the sea, low-fat varieties (baked and boiled): tuna, haddock, halibut, pollock, cod, hake;
• legumes as a source of vegetable protein;
• nuts (walnuts, peanuts) contain a large amount of phospholipids that reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol, they are sources of vitamin E;
• onions and garlic, contain a lot of vitamin C, protect the vascular walls, remove limescale and fat deposits from the body;
• oatmeal, cereal, puddings from other cereals (cereals must be cooked in diluted milk);
• low-fat milk, low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir, yogurt, low-fat and unsalted cheeses;
• juices, especially citrus fruits (a lot of ascorbic acid, which strengthens the vascular wall);
• poorly prepared tea, coffee drink with milk, vegetable decoctions, rose hips, jams;
• seasonings: pepper, mustard, spices, vinegar, lemon, horseradish.

The need for a diet

Compliance with the diet regulates the content of high- and low-density lipoproteins, thus reducing the level of "bad" cholesterol.

The treatment table for high cholesterol allows you to normalize its content without taking medication. In addition, in people who follow a diet, the vessels remain "clean" for a long time, blood circulation in them is not disturbed, which not only has a beneficial effect on the state of the cardiovascular system, but also on the condition of the skin, nails and hair.

A large amount of antioxidants in recommended foods with high cholesterol slows down the aging of the skin, prevents the development of pathologies of Organs internal organs and increases vitality.

Consequences of not following the diet

High blood cholesterol is the first sign of upcoming vessel atherosclerosis.

With atherosclerosis, plaques form on the walls of blood vessels, which narrow the lumen of the arteries of the veins, which threatens not only the development of circulatory disorders in the body as a whole, but also dangerous complications such as stroke and myocardial infarction. .

In addition, high cholesterol is one of the factors in the development of hypertension and cerebral atherosclerosis (memory impairment, visual impairment, tinnitus, sleep disorders, dizziness).