Sneaky Tips for Eating Your Way to Lower Cholesterol

Heart-Healthy Guacamole

(Family Features) - Proper nutrition is an important factor in controlling high cholesterol. But to many people, proper nutrition sounds like a recipe for bland, uninteresting food.

Eating a low-cholesterol diet doesn't have to mean eating a boring diet. There are delicious ways to sneak heart-friendly foods into the mouths of the pickiest - and most junk food-loving - of eaters.

• Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, antioxidants and other plant compounds that can lower blood cholesterol levels. Sneak them into meals by adding corn, tomatoes and black beans into turkey chili. Add mango and avocado into salsas or sautéed spinach into pasta sauce or turkey burgers.
• Substitute the whole grain varieties of your favorite carbohydrates - enjoy whole wheat pasta, brown rice, whole grain bread and even whole wheat pizza dough.
• Saturated fat should account for no more than seven percent of your total calories. Substitute lean ground turkey or chicken for beef in burgers and tacos. Eat more fish and less red meat.
• Use olive oil and canola oil as your two primary oils. Olive oil is great for salads and finishing off foods, while canola is great for cooking and baking.

Another thing to put on the menu - plant sterols. These are plant-based compounds that can help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol. The sterols work by helping to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine by up to 50 percent, which in turn can lower LDL blood cholesterol by up to 15 percent. They occur naturally in fruit, vegetables, whole-grain products and most vegetable oils - however usually at levels too low to effectively combat LDL cholesterol. Recent scientific studies have shown that plant sterols can be added to other foods at levels that can have a positive impact on lowering blood cholesterol and reducing the risk for coronary heart disease.

Julie Upton, M.S., R.D., registered dietitian and nutrition communications specialist, encourages people to look for these new food options with added plant sterols. She recommends products like Corazonas Heart-Healthy Tortilla and Potato Chips. "They're the only snack chips with plant sterols - and they lower LDL cholesterol by up to 15 percent," she says. "The tortilla chips also include whole oats for added fiber, and the potato chips have 40 percent less fat than regular potato chips."

So can you lower cholesterol and still indulge in your favorite foods like chips, guacamole, chili and hamburgers? "Absolutely," says Upton, "as long as you make some smart choices, read labels, and get a little creative with your ingredients."

Heart-Healthy Guacamole

2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 large lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste

Place all ingredients in medium bowl and combine. Serve immediately with heart-healthy chips.

SOURCE: Corazonas