Choosing a Low Cholesterol Foods

Many people complain how difficult it was to control blood cholesterol. They have a strict diet, not eating beef, lamb, chicken, offal and eggs, and eat only vegetables and fruit. But why cholesterol does not decreased? Is there anything wrong with their bodies?

Cholesterol should always be controlled at all times. Total cholesterol should be approximately close to 200 milligrams percent (mg% subsequently written, Ed.). Usually blood cholesterol levels between women and men actually not much different, both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein = bad cholesterol). However, HDL cholesterol (hight density lipoproteins = good cholesterol) tend to be higher in women than men.


Normal HDL in women is 55 mg% and HDL 45 mg% in men. With proper diet and regular exercise, the target is actually not too difficult to achieve.

However, in certain people, with a strict diet and regular exercise though, is not enough. Cholesterol levels in the blood remains high, before taking the drugs the doctor. Genetic factors often cause the reduction of cholesterol is not very satisfying.

This factor is partly due to the nature of hypercholesterolemia, ie people who have average cholesterol levels high enough, between 200-350 mg%. So the people who suffer from hypercholesterolemia in a diet and exercise should be under the supervision of a physician. Hypercholesterolemia does require more aggressive treatment.

What is really the highest cholesterol levels are allowed? And if cholesterol levels that exceed the highest level, what's the impact? Consensus on cholesterol that have been asked by the United States Department of Health is, if cholesterol levels between 200-240 mg%, they have the risk of coronary heart disease threats two times greater than if the cholesterol levels of 300 mg%.

For that blood cholesterol levels need to be controlled at all times, both in people who suffer from hypercholesterolemia or not. Because prevention is better than treatment.

Environmental Factors
Environmental factors play a huge role against blood cholesterol is diet, and blood cholesterol is very influential on the formation of atherosclerosis (deposits of fatty substances in and under the inner lining of the artery wall).

The results of epidemiological studies have shown, the wrong diet can accelerate atherosclerosis. While proper diet, but can delay the process of calcification, calcification may attenuate already occurred. So, eating is not just mean what you liked or disliked, but how we choose something meaningful to the body.

For example Finns who like beef and pork roll to warm the winter. They rarely ate nuts and seeds. As a result, they are more likely to suffer coronary calcification.

Unlike the Italians who prefer soy, like roasted corn and peanuts; average their blood cholesterol levels lower than those of Finland.

Consumption of cholesterol a day is ideal, in fact there is no definite limit. It's just a nutritionist from Cipto Mangunkusumo suggested, should not consume more than 300 mg cholesterol per day.

It required considerable knowledge of content of various types of foodstuffs that contain high cholesterol. Given the cholesterol in the blood is also affected by the fat intake in the diet, especially the type of saturated fatty acids, fatty acid content is also noteworthy.

Back to Traditional
Tips for choosing foods low in cholesterol is to limit the source animal. Expand food from plant materials. In addition contain no cholesterol, vegetable sources also contain non-nutritional active ingredients that can lower cholesterol levels. For example isoflafon of grains, pectin from fruits and vegetables, and fiber from whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Of course the point is not advised to abstain altogether animal food sources, but must limit and choose. Meat should be a smooth fiber, such as chicken meat. If you want to eat beef, choose lean. Avoid brain and viscera. Choose fish that are relatively low-cholesterol, compared to shellfish.

Fast food (fast food) of any kind, should be reduced or restricted. These foods generally contain high cholesterol. As a guideline, it can be seen the results of the analysis of a variety of fast food from Australia.

Piece of chocolate cake contains 100 mg of cholesterol. Burger kind of combination of egg and cheese each serving contains 110 mg of cholesterol. Start of this type of chuck steak steak, rib steak, round steak, rump steak to contain an average of 100 to 200 mg of cholesterol per serving. Foods that contain cheese, any kind, such as cheese pizza, cheese burgers, cheese omelets, cholesterol varies between 100 to 200 mg per serving.

Indonesia's traditional menu are usually consumed daily, on average contain less cholesterol. For example rice with tempeh, meat, vegetables, fruit and green beans contain only cholesterol of 70 mg. Fried rice with an omelet containing approximately 50 mg cholesterol (derived from eggs).

If you eat dinner with rice, vegetables nodes spinach, red beans, with a side dish tofu, tempeh and salted fish or fried fish, contains only 20 mg cholesterol. Obviously, maintaining the traditional menu very limiting cholesterol intake.

Ir. Faisal Anwar, M.Sc., lecturer of Department of Community Nutrition and Family Resources, IPB writes for kompas.com