Guidelines to lower Cholesterol

Dietary fiber, dietary cholesterol, saturated fats, transfats, omega 3

The DASH eating plan has been incorporated into the American Heart Association guidelines.  More information about this eating plan, including menus and recipes can be found at the National Institute of Health's website: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash%20/new_dash.pdf  

I have tried to generate a simple guideline in a prioritized order without going into much of the technical details.

Priority #1 Increase amount of dietary fiber.

Most of the cholesterol is made by your own body. Dietary fiber binds with the bile acid and Cholesterol and helps it remove as feces, before it is re-absorbed in the system.

Dietary fiber is found in whole grains, vegetables and fruits.
a) Eat cracked wheat Dalia or Oats for breakfast
b) Make Roti from whole grain Atta
c) Make Dal from pulses with skin
d) Eat brown or paddy rice.

Avoid eating white rice and white rice preparations such as Idli and Dosa.

Avoid refined flours such as Maida.

Priority #2 Reduce consumption of Saturated fats.

a) Limit Ghee, Butter, and coconut oil

b) Choose lean meats. Trim-off visible fats.
c) Remove skin from chicken or turkey.
d) Switch to low-fat or fat-free dairy products: Milk, Butter milk, Yogurt, Cheese
Consider switching to Tofu from Paneer.

Priority #3 Avoid consumption of Trans fats.

Transfats raise bad cholesterol, and lower good cholesterol. The majority of trans fats consumed are man-made by hydrogenating vegetable oils. These are margarine and Vanaspati Ghee (Dalda). The hydrogenation process makes the vegetable oils look solid at room temperature. 

Small amount of Trans fats are also found in meats.

Priority #4 Increase physical activity level.

Exercise about 20 minutes a day. The exercise should be vigorous enough to increase your heart rate. Exercise helps increase good cholesterol.

Priority #5 Reduce dietary Cholesterol

Dietary cholesterol is found only in animal products. This included yolk of egg and shell-fish.

Priority #6 Increase intake of good oils.

Vegetable oils, nuts and fish are high in omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids. These fatty acids help raise the good Cholesterol. Examples are Salmon, Sardines, Mackerel, Alsi (Flaxseed), Olive oil, Walnuts. Omega 3 fatty acids found in Fish lower bad cholesterol, lower triglycerides, and raise good cholesterol.

Priority #7 Change cooking techniques.

a) Do not use delicate vegetable oils high in polyunsaturated fats to cook. The high temperature forms free radicals and may cause cancer. The example is Alsi (Flaxseed) oil.
b) Every time, the oil is heated part of it is changed to trans fats. Do not use the same oil to fry over and over.
c) Dry roast spices for Tarka/Bhagar in place of frying them in oil.
d) To make curry sauce base, cook your ground onions, garlic, tomatoes without oil, till most of the moisture is gone before adding oil. This will reduce the heating time of the oil.

Priority #5 Miscellaneous

a) Avoid simple sugars (table sugar), white rice, refined flours. They may be converted into Triglycerides if not used up by physical activity.
b) Some studies show increase in HDL by consuming 4oz of red wine per day.
c) 1 teaspoon of Flax seed per day may help lower LDL and increase HDL
d) Guggul in India is used as a Resin to reduce overall Cholesterol