7-day Meal Plan To Lower Cholesterol – Things To Follow!

If you wish to decrease the high levels of bad cholesterol, then a 7-day meal plan to lower cholesterol is the best initial step. Eating healthy is vital but eating the correct food which makes you healthy is much more important. You are required to reduce the percentage of dietary cholesterol obtained from food and add more plant-based foods to your diet plan, which can help in reducing the levels of cholesterol. To choose the correct food and make it a part of your diet, you must know what kinds of cholesterol are there and what food you should add and remove from the diet.

What Are The Different Types Of Cholesterol?

HDL cholesterol – HDL cholesterol is good cholesterol. It is a High-density lipoprotein. It helps in reducing bad cholesterol by extracting it from blood and bringing it to the liver again to take it out of your body. 

LDL cholesterol – LDL cholesterol is bad cholesterol. It is Low-density lipoprotein. Increased levels of LDL cholesterol can expose you to fatal diseases such as stroke, heart attack, etc. 

It goes from your liver to your bloodstream and then all of the body parts. The high chances are that it gets attached to the walls of the arteries, and atherosclerosis can be formed.

​Triglycerides:​ ​Triglycerides are produced by our body itself. But foods also contain this. If you eat a high level of sugar foods, and saturated fat, and drink alcohol, levels of triglyceride can be increased

What Should You Include In The 7-Day Meal?

The 7-day meal should be rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and many more high-quality natural foods. Below is the list of foods you should include in your 7-day meal.

• Fruits such as berries, peaches, oranges, pears,  apples, and bananas​.
• Vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans,, peas, cauliflower, onions, and Broccoli.
• Legumes such as kidney beans,  Black beans, chickpeas, and lentils
• ​Nuts​ such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews.
• Whole grains such as Quinoa, barley, oats, and  popcorn
• ​Healthy fats such as Olive oil, nut kinds of butter, avocados, and olives.
• ​Lean proteins​ such as chicken, fish, turkey, and eggs

Foods To Limit Consumption

Some foods should be consumed within limits. Below is the list of Foods to limit consumption of; 

​Red meat​:  ​Red meat has high levels of saturated fats. However, it is rich in iron, so you cannot avoid eating ​Red meat​ totally. So rather than avoiding it, you must limit its consumption to just 3 ounces or less if possible. 

​Full-fat dairy:​ ​Full-fat dairy foods such as butter, Cheesecake, and whole milk also have high levels of saturated fats. You can either limit their consumption or pick up dairy products that have less content of fat. 

Added sugars:​ Food with added sugars such as Candy, Dairy Desserts, Pastries, and Sodas should be limited. These Foods can boost the level of bad cholesterol.

Foods To Remove From Your Diet

There are some foods that can be completely avoided. These foods are not essential for your body, or they have better alternatives. Below is the list of foods to remove from your diet.

​Trans fat:​​Trans fat is found in foods that are processed or shelf-stable. These foods are banned in many countries but yet used widely. These foods increase the levels of bad cholesterol unimaginably. Foods with trans fat are Pastries, Margarine, Fast food, shortening,   creamer coffee, and refrigerated dough.

Conclusion

Now that you know what foods you should include, avoid and limit, you can easily form a 7-day meal plan according to your needs. We recommend that you eat vegetables and fruits in higher amounts.