Healthy Living

Low-Cholesterol Recipes

By Jessica Levine

URL: health/low-cholesterol-recipe

Low-Cholesterol Recipes

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  If you think cholesterol is your grandfather's health problem, you're not alone. Young women are four times more likely to know their high school weight by heart than their cholesterol number, one national survey showed. But women need to take high cholesterol seriously since it can lead to heart disease, the leading killer of women. With more than 50 percent of American adults suffering from high cholesterol, it's probably time you learn some more numbers. Everyone over 20 should get theirs tested every 5 years.
  Some cholesterol is made by our bodies, but the rest of it comes from meats, poultry, shellfish, eggs, butter, cheese and whole or 2 percent dairy products in our diet. The American Heart Association's recommends people with LDL (bad) cholesterol levels over 100 limit intake of dietary cholesterol to less than 200 milligrams per day. That's easier than it sounds. Here's a whole day's menu of low-cholesterol recipes—less than 70 milligrams (total!).
  
  
  
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  Pumpkin Waffles
   
  Surprise—this heart-healthy breakfast isn't oatmeal. If you're tired of the old standby, whip up a batch of this healthy pumpkin waffle batter on the weekend instead. Then wrap each individually and freeze so you can pop them in the toaster on weekday mornings for a quick, warm cinnamon-y sweet bite. 
  The best part is they start your day with a zero balance—they're cholesterol-free!
  
  Cholesterol count: 0 MG
  
  Get the recipe.
  
  
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  Oatmeal Cookie with Warm Milk
   
  Here's the oatmeal you were waiting for. It is one of those fantastic foods that satisfies us in more ways than one so we just can't leave it out. Because it contains soluble fiber, which can reduce the absorption on cholesterol in your bloodstream, it's one of the best foods for reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol. That will make your doctor happy—and we're pretty sure this little cookie will sweeten your morning.
  
  Cholesterol count: 5 MG
  
  Get the recipe.
  
  
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  Tuna Rice-Paper Wrap
   
  Here's a lunch that tastes like it came from a gourmet deli—except it didn't and you know exactly what's in it. For the cholesterol-concerned, it's especially important to use low-fat or fat-free mayo to keep saturated fat levels to a minimum. Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and halibut make easy healthy-heart recipes because their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce your blood pressure.
  
  This tuna salad has less than 25 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. If you brown bag it, you can mix up a batch at the beginning of the week and then just spoon a portion into a rice-paper wrap each morning.
  
  Cholesterol count: 23.4 MG
  
  Get the recipe.
  
  
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  Spiced Sweet Potato Chips
   
  The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the lower your cholesterol. Add some homemade cholesterol-free crunch to your afternoon with these special spicy sweet potato chips. They'll satisfy your need to nosh without wrecking your diet.
  
  Cholesterol count: 0 MG
  
  Get the recipe.
  
  
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  Linguine Bolognese
   
  If pasta with meat sauce is on your cholesterol no-no list, think again. If you make it yourself, you control the ingredients--like with this satisfying low-fat low-sodium recipe. This dish has less than 35 milligrams of cholesterol per serving, thanks to the extra-lean ground beef and part-skim mozzarella. The whole-wheat pasta adds a boost of fiber, making this recipe even heart-friendlier.
  
  Cholesterol count: 32.9 MG
  
  Get the recipe.
  
  
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  Oat, Almond, Mixed Berry Crisp
   
  Here you have a two cholesterol-fighting superfoods in one warm, comforting dish. This sweet treat boasts fiber-rich oats and cholesterol-reducing almonds. Stop cheating yourself out of dessert. At less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol per serving, this one is good for your heart!
  
  Cholesterol count: 4.3 MG
  
  Get the recipe.