| Are you worried about your cholesterol levels or | | | | If you like to cook soups or stews, which can be |
| do you have a family history of high cholesterol? | | | | very healthy, tasty and filling when cooked |
| If so then you should already be paying close | | | | properly, prepare them the day before and put in |
| attention to your diet and lifestyle. One of the | | | | the fridge overnight. This will allow any fat in the |
| most simple ways that you can keep your | | | | stew or soup to rise to the top and harden, so |
| cholesterol in check is by changing the way you | | | | you can remove it before re-heating and eating. |
| cook your food. It is not hard to eat a low | | | | One of the key components of a diet low in |
| cholesterol diet, and modifying the way you cook | | | | cholesterol is to ensure that you eat a lot of fruit |
| your food can help keep your heart and body | | | | and vegetables, and a wide variety of them. Try |
| healthy and happy. | | | | and find fresh fruits that you enjoy, so you can |
| To start with you should strictly limit the foods | | | | eat them as healthy snacks, of prepare and |
| you eat which are high in saturated fat in your | | | | freeze to eat later. A lot of people ruin the |
| kitchen (and house), and use alternatives instead. | | | | benefit of the vegetables they eat, by covering |
| You'll find when cooking that techniques such as | | | | them in excess salt (sodium chloride), which can |
| grilling, baking and broiling (and microwaving), will | | | | raise your blood pressure. Instead use herbs and |
| help you control the levels of saturated fat in the | | | | spices to flavour your veg. You can purchase |
| food you eat. You can use a light stir-fry or | | | | ready made mixed herbal seasoning's from your |
| perhaps a sauté, as long as you monitor | | | | local grocery shop. For example an Italian herb |
| the amount of oil you use, or use the more | | | | mix seasoning might contain herbs such as |
| expensive virgin olive oil, which can be beneficial in | | | | oregano, basil, rosemary and more. Others such |
| small quantities. | | | | as chives and parsley also give your food |
| Another way you can reduce the amount of | | | | interesting flavours. |
| cholesterol in your diet is through the way you | | | | When cooking your veg, try and only use a |
| prepare your meat and poultry. You can easily | | | | minimal amount of vegetable oil or spray, or even |
| lower the amount of saturated fat in the meat | | | | better use olive oil. Make sure you avoid butter or |
| you eat by trimming or cutting off any fat you | | | | margarine, as both are sources of high saturated |
| can see on the meat, or by buying better quality | | | | fats and sodium. Which is a doubly bad |
| cuts of meat. Try to avoid frying food, instead | | | | combination for your health, especially for people |
| roast, bake or broil the meat as mentioned earlier. | | | | worried about cholesterol levels. |
| If you decide to roast or bake the meat, you can | | | | These article has identified just a sample of |
| use a rack to allow the fat to drain away, so you | | | | cooking ideas and tips for your diet to help you |
| don't eat it with the meat. Alternatively purchase | | | | lower your cholesterol. It might take a little time |
| a George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine, | | | | for you to get used to cooking using different |
| which will allow you to drain the excess fat away | | | | methods, but the benefits for you health and |
| with ease. | | | | your palette will quickly out weight the little extra |
| To keep your meat moist and tasty, use wine, | | | | time it may take. |
| vinegar, lemon juice or a low-fat oil as a marinade. | | | | |