I recently had my cholesterol checked and my Doctor said that everything is ok except that my LDL is high. I'm confused when I look at the nutritional information on foods. I'm finding a lot of foods that may be low in cholesterol but high in saturated fat OR they are low in saturated fat but high in cholesterol.
When choosing foods to help lower my LDL, is it better to go by the saturated fat or the cholesterol number?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
It is always better to use saturated fat as your guide. Cholesterol is important but we now know that it has nowhere near the impact of the types of fat you eat.
The key is to choose recipes, foods and ingredients that are very low in saturated fat. Choose lean meats and eat less red meat. Use butter and fats sparingly and replace them with oils such as olive oil, canola oil and grapeseed oil. These fats are high in monounsaturated fat and eating more of this type of fat has been shown to have a significant impact on cholesterol profiles. We know that fish that are high in such monounsaturated fats like salmon, tuna and halibut are great choices as well.
Other facets of the Mediterranean diet are explained here:
http://www.drgourmet.com/mediterraneandiet/index.shtml
Such changes can have a major impact on your cholesterol and risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Thanks for writing,
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet