1. Control total fat intake
Eating too much fat can easily increase blood lipids. Moreover, high-fat foods are also high in calories. Therefore, it is crucial to control the intake of high-fat foods.
Avoid: Foods high in fat, such as fatty meat, luncheon meat, Chinese sausage, cured meat, and fried foods.
Limit intake of:
▪ High-cholesterol foods like animal organs, dried cuttlefish, dried squid, roe, crab roe, and egg yolks;
▪ High-sugar foods like cream cakes, chocolate, and ice cream.
Cook this way: Limit daily cooking oil to 20-25 grams. Use cooking methods that are light and low in oil, such as steaming, boiling, cold dressing, roasting, braising, stewing, and braising.
2. Choose good fats and limit bad fats
Dietary fats can be divided into three categories: saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Among them, long-term intake of large amounts of saturated fatty acids can lead to elevated blood cholesterol levels. Conversely, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids help regulate blood lipids and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Limit intake of:
▪ Animal fats such as lard, beef tallow, and mutton tallow;
▪ Certain vegetable oils like coconut oil and palm kernel oil.
Choose to eat: Such as soybean oil, peanut oil, tea oil, olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and fish oil.
3. Increase intake of vitamins and dietary fiber
Antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamins E and C, can inhibit the damage of harmful free radicals to cells, help lower total blood cholesterol, improve blood lipids, prevent arteriosclerosis, and maintain stable blood lipids.
Fiber, on the other hand, can help eliminate fat and reduce fat absorption, both of which can help prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases.
Often eat:
▪ Plant seeds (such as sesame and melon seeds), fresh vegetables, and fruits;
▪ Coarse grains and miscellaneous grains such as oats, buckwheat, whole wheat foods, sweet potatoes, corn, and sorghum;
▪ Foods such as shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, garlic, onions, and mung beans.