Food & Drink

Cholesterol-Lowering Diets

By Fiona Haynes, About.com Guide

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A typical dietary approach to lowering cholesterol focuses on consuming less fat, especially saturated and trans fats. But a standard low-fat diet isn't for everyone; nor is it necessarily the right approach. About's Guide to Cholesterol examines different cholesterol-lowering diets to see if they measure up.

Basics of a Low-Cholesterol, Low-Fat Diet

Eating a diet that's low in fat, particularly saturated fat and trans fats, is one way to combat high cholesterol. Both saturated fat and trans fats are linked to raising levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, and trans fats are also thought to lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Plus, eating a diet that's high in fat may cause weight gain, which in itself can lead to high cholesterol.

The TLC Diet

The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet, or TLC Diet, recommended by the U.S. National Cholesterol Education Program, focuses on reducing saturated-fat intake to less than 7% of total calories and eating no more than 200mg of cholesterol. The TLC Diet also recommends eating complex carbohydrates, plant sterols, and soluble fiber.

The Mediterranean Diet

This kind of diet is very low in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. With its emphasis on plant-based foods, heart-healthy unsaturated fats, and a healthy dose of fiber, the Mediterranean Diet is thought to be an effective way to manage cholesterol.

A Vegetarian Diet

By eliminating meat, a vegetarian diet means cutting out one of the main sources of dietary fat and cholesterol. But is a vegetarian diet is necessarily a low-cholesterol diet? Our Guide to Cholesterol takes a closer look.

The DASH Diet

Developed by the National Institutes of Health, the DASH Diet was created to help reduce the prevalence of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in the U.S. Could this dietary approach, with its emphasis on reducing saturated fat and salt (sodium) intake, also help to lower cholesterol?