If you have high cholesterol or are worried about getting it in the future, rest assured that there are lifestyle changes you can make to help turn your health around. Starting a heart healthy diet is one of the best things you can do to start feeling better, and we’ve rounded up 30 days of cholesterol diet recipes so you can start living a healthier lifestyle today!
What is High Cholesterol?
High cholesterol is a medical condition that increases your risk for heart disease and stroke by clogging your blood vessels. It can become quite dangerous as there are no symptoms for high cholesterol. It is typically diagnosed during routine blood tests and is very serious.
The body only needs a certain amount of cholesterol. A small amount of cholesterol is necessary because the body uses it to build the structure of cell membranes, make hormones and help your metabolism work properly. If there’s too much cholesterol in the bloodstream, the excess may be deposited along the walls of the arteries, including the coronary arteries of the heart, the carotid arteries of the brain, and the arteries that supply blood to the legs and intestines.
What Causes High Cholesterol?
There are a number of factors that contribute to a high blood cholesterol level, including lifestyle choices such as smoking, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating habits. Underlying conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes also make you more susceptible to high cholesterol. High cholesterol also tends to run in the family, so if your parents or grandparents have high cholesterol, it makes you more likely to have it too.
What is the Cholesterol Diet?
The cholesterol diet is an eating plan that increases the cholesterol-lowering foods in your diet and decreases or eliminates high cholesterol foods. Unhealthy eating habits are one of the major contributors to high cholesterol and eating the right foods will help you get your health back on track. The cholesterol diet:
- Eliminates saturated and trans fats that raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower your HDL (good) cholesterol, such as baked goods, processed meats, French fries, crackers and margarine
- Increases healthy fats such as nuts, avocado, and unsaturated oils like olive and canola
- Limits foods with high cholesterol like shrimp, liver, egg yolks and whole milk dairy products
- Includes plenty of fibre, fruits, vegetables, and fish that are high in omega 3 fatty acids
- Limits salt and alcohol intake
Does the Cholesterol Diet Work?
Eating a diet that will lower your cholesterol is a heart-healthy lifestyle change you should be making ASAP if you have high cholesterol. Eating the right foods will increase your good cholesterol and lower your bad cholesterol, helping you reduce your cholesterol in a healthy, natural way. Keep in mind that dietary changes aren’t always enough, and be sure to check with your health care provider to see if additional measures are needed to lower your cholesterol levels.
If you’re looking for cholesterol-friendly recipes, we’ve curated our favorites below!
30 Cholesterol Diet Recipes for Breakfast
1. Yogurt, Honey and Walnut Parfait | My Recipes
2. Cinnamon Porridge with Banana and Berries | BBC Good Food
3. Heart Healthy Overnight Oats | The Harvest Kitchen
4. Low-Cholesterol Pancakes | Taste of Home
5. Healthy Veggie Egg Scramble | Everyday Eileen
6. Cholesterol Cure Oat Bran Muffins | Yummly
7. Western Omelet Sandwich | Good Housekeeping
8. Savoury Egg Muffins | My Recipes
9. Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and Banana | Eat This, Not That
10. Yogurt with Berries and Nuts | Melanie Cooks
11. Steel Cut Oats | Soulful Vegan
12. Chocolate, Cannellini Bean and Cinnamon Smoothie | Livestrong
13. Egg and Avocado Toast | Getviral
14. Cholesterol Busting Muffins | Yummly
15. Bulgur Porridge | My Recipes
16. Cholesterol Free Buttermilk Pancakes | Recipe Land
17. Blueberry Recipes | All Recipes
18. Fruit and Oat Breakfast Bake | Quaker
19. Zucchini and Tomato Frittata | Better Homes & Gardens
20. Mediterannean Egg Muffins | Food Faith Fitness
21. Omelet with Turmeric, Tomato and Onions | My Recipes
22. Walnut Flaxseed Yogurt | Livestrong
23. Quinoa Omelette Bites | Tablespoon
24. Ginger Berry Smoothie Bowl | Better Homes & Gardens
25. Peanut Butter Toast with Greek Yogurt and Grapes | Livestrong
26. Blackberry Mango Breakfast Bake | My Recipes
27. Oat Bran Muffins | Yummly
28. Cinnamon and Spice Millet Porridge | Livestrong
29. Breakfast Salad | Better Homes & Gardens
30. Banana Breakfast Smoothie | My Recipes
30 Cholesterol Diet Recipes for Lunch
1. Zingy Salmon and Brown Rice Salad | BBC Good Food
2. Lemony Chickpea Salad with Chickpeas and Avocado | The Kitchen Girl
3. Superfood Salmon Salad | Apples and Beans
4. Turkey Bagel Sandwich | Diabetes Forecast
5. Tuscan Bean Soup | Better Homes & Gardens
6. Vegetable and Bean Chilli | BBC Good Food
7. Moroccan Chicken Salad Pitas | Creme de la Crumb
8. Arugula and Goat Cheese Pizza | Health
9. Turkey Tacos | All Recipes
10. Healthy Broccoli Roman Style | Food Network
11. Balsamic Chicken with Asparagus and Tomato | Julia’s Album
12. Vegetable Tagine with Chickpeas and Raisins | BBC Good Food
13. Healthy Tuna Stuffed Avocado | The Stay at Home Chef
14. Hummus and Bean Wrap | Six Sisters Stuff
15. Asian Chopped Salad with Peanut Dressing | The Art of Comfort Baking
16. Warming Pesto Butter Beans | Lakeland Blog
17. Carrot Ginger Soup | Health
18. Bean and Tomato Soup | Tarladalal
19. Chicken Florentine Pasta | Dishing Out Health
20. Mediterranean Tuna Salad | Tori Avey
21. Low Fat Chicken Fried Rice | Erren’s Kitchen
22. Rainbow Salad | Running on Real Food
23. Healthy Chicken Salad | Joyful Healthy Eats
24. Three Bean Protein Salad | Shane and Simple
25. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls | Recipe Runner
26. Vegetarian Chilli | Health
27. Mediterranean Farro Salad | Gimme Some Oven
28. Barley and Chickpea Risotto | Foxes Love Lemons
29. Orange Ginger Tofu Bowl | Keepin’ It Kind
30. Loaded Sweet Potato | Kara Lydon
30 Cholesterol Diet Recipes Dinner
1. One Skillet Chicken and Broccoli | Skinny MS
2. Low Cholesterol Baked Chicken | Yummly
3. Indian Winter Soup | BBC Good Food
4. Zucchini Noodle Soup | Peas and Crayons
5. Vegan Meatballs | Minimalist Baker
6. Lentil-Stuffed Peppers | Peanut Butter and Peppers
7. Spicy Sofritas Tofu | Pinch of Yum
8. Healthy Cauliflower Rice | Food Network
9. Chicken and Asparagus Bake | Eating Well
10. Grilled Cilantro Salmon | All Recipes
11. Baked Turkey Meatballs | It’s Yummi
12. Thai Peanut Pasta | Your Cup of Cake
13. Tofu Tacos | Eating Well
14. Garden Vegetable Soup | Food Network
15. Sweet Potato Falafel Sandwich | Sweet Potato Soul
16. Roasted Zucchini Tuna Melts | The Honour System
17. Low Cholesterol Scalloped Potatoes | Spark Recipes
18. Dinner Bowl with Tofu and Avocado | Running on Real Food
19. Skinny Chicken Marsala | Grandbaby Cakes
20. Porcini Mushroom Pasta | All Recipes
21. Vegan Lentil Burgers | Food Network
22. Citrus Salad with Chia-Celery Dressing | Eating Well
23. Red Lentil Curry | All Recipes
24. Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Bowls | Recipe Runner
25. Cholesterol-Busting Chicken Curry | We Heart Living
26. Lentil Tacos | Delish Knowledge
27. Lighter Asian Noodle Salad | Food Network
28. Spinach Salad with Sweet Potatoes, White Beans and Basil | Eating Well
29. Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa | The Cookie Rookie
30. Chicken and Black Bean Burritos | Betty Crocker
30 Cholesterol Diet Snack Recipes
1. Beet Hummus | Gluten Free Vegan Pantry
2. Apple Chips with Mint Yogurt Dip | My Recipes
3. Chewy Granola Bars | Taste of Home
4. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus | Lazy Cat Kitchen
5. Watermelon Granita | Yummy, Healthy, Easy
6. Baked Broccoli Mushroom Fritters | Sumptuous Spoonful
7. Oat and Raisin Cookies | Tarladalal
8. Cinnamon Energy Balls | Running on Real Food
9. Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas | My Recipes
10. Avocado Hummus and Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Verde | The Mediterranean Dish
11. Mango Black Bean Salsa | Taste of Home
12. No Bake Energy Balls | Del’s Cooking Twist
13. Oatmeal Cookies | Just a Pinch
14. Homemade Soft Pretzels | My Recipes
15. Greek Layered Hummus | Saving Room for Dessert
16. Cherry Almond Broccoli Salad | Sumptuous Spoonfuls
17. Peanut Butter Energy Balls | Eating Well
18. Heart Healthy Trail Mix | Meals with Maggie
19. Nutty Broccoli Slaw | Taste of Home
20. Warm Spiced Cashews | My Recipes
21. Carrot, Walnut and Red Lentil Hummus | Blissful Basil
22. Low Fat Chewy Oatmeal Bars | Kosher
23. Baked Carrot Chips | A Spicy Perspective
24. Ham and Cheddar Broccoli Tots | Sumptuous Spoonfuls
25. Homemade Guacamole | Taste of Home
26. Nuts and Seeds Trail Mix | Taste of Home
27. Cranberry Oat Bars | My Recipes
28. White Bean Hummus | How Sweet Eats
29. Sweet and Salty Trail Mix | Neighbour Food Blog
30. Garlic Rosemary Roasted Cauliflower | Sumptuous Spoonfuls
If you have high cholesterol, lowering your cholesterol levels should be your first priority. Use these recipes to make sure you’re eating heart-healthy recipes that will make you feel better!