LOW CHOLESTEROL FOOD LIST

Healthy eating starts with having the right heart-healthy foods in your kitchen. They help lower cholesterol and keep your blood pressure in check. If you aren't sure which foods to buy, print this list to take to the supermarket.

Refrigerator Essentials

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, fruits and veggies also have fiber, which lowers cholesterol and improves heart health. Pull them out first when you want something to eat. Remember, you need 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

·         Apples

·         Berries

·         Bell peppers

·         Broccoli

·         Cauliflower

·         Celery

·         Dark leafy greens

·         Eggplant

·         Grapes

·         Kale

·         Oranges

·         Pears

·         Squash

·         Tomatoes

·         Zucchini

Dairy and Dairy Alternatives: Dairy is a great source of calcium. Just skip the cream, and choose low-fat or nonfat options.

·         Buttermilk, low-fat or nonfat

·         Cheese, nonfat or reduced-fat

·         Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, nonfat or 1%

·         Cream cheese, nonfat or light

·         Creamers, nonfat

·         Milk, skim or 1%

·         Sour cream, nonfat

·         Yogurt, nonfat or 1%

Soy milk, almond milk, and other non-dairy products may also be options. Check to see if they're fortified with calcium and other nutrients. When shopping for these drinks, choose the unsweetened products to avoid added sugar.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Meat Substitutes: The American Heart Association suggests two servings of fish a week. Eat more heart-healthy tofu and other soy protein, too. Limit fatty cuts of meat.

·         Beef, lean cuts and lean ground round or sirloin

·         Chicken or turkey breasts and tenders, skinless, boneless

·         Chicken or turkey, ground

·         Fish, high in omega-3s, such as herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, tuna

·         Pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat

·         Seitan

·         Tempeh

·         Tofu

Frozen Foods: When your favorite fruits and veggies are out of season, choose frozen ones for nutritious desserts, side dishes, and snacks.

·         Fruits without added sugar (for example, frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries)

·         Soybeans (edamame)

·         Vegetables and vegetable blends without added sauce, gravy, or sodium

Pantry Essentials

Beans, Grains, Soups, and Sauces: Beans and whole grains offer fiber to help lower your cholesterol.

·         Barley

·         Beans, canned, reduced-sodium: assorted cans of beans such as black, garbanzo, kidney, navy, and pinto

·         Beans, dried: Choose your favorite beans.

·         Broth, reduced-sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable

·         Cereals, whole-grain (Note: Choose cereals that have 5 or more grams of dietary fiber and fewer than 8 grams of sugar per serving.)

·         Cornmeal

·         Flaxseed, ground or whole

·         Flour, whole wheat

·         Grains such as wheat berries, couscous, polenta, millet, bulgur, and quinoa

·         Oat bran

·         Oats, rolled, steel-cut, or Irish

·         Pasta sauce, low-fat or fat-free

·    Pasta, whole wheat, spelt, or kamut (Note: These whole-grain pastas come in bowtie, fettuccini, lasagna, spaghetti, fusilli, spiral, elbow macaroni, and ravioli varieties.)

·         Rice: brown, wild, and brown basmati

·         Soups, low-sodium, and 98% fat-free cream of mushroom

·         Soy flour

·         Tomato paste

·         Tomatoes, whole or diced, reduced-sodium

·         Vegetarian or nonfat refried beans   Article by WEBMD....VISIT THEIR SITE FOR MORE