To Lower Cholesterol Do You Need Low Fat or Low Cholesterol Foods?
You would think if you have high cholesterol what you need to do is reduce the amount of cholesterol in your diet and that will take care of the problem. However, that is not the case.
You do need to limit the amount of cholesterol you consume, but the types of fat you consume have a greater impact on blood cholesterol levels than dietary cholesterol.
Different types of fat include – saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats. Saturated and trans fats may have a negative impact on blood cholesterol levels.
2010 Dietary Guidelines to Implement
On January 31, 2011 the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released. This is the 7th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are the federal governments evidence-based nutritional guidelines to promote health, reduced chronic disease risk, and decreased prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity.
Here are three clear steps you can implement now to promote heart health today.
1. Calories in equal calories out.
Lower Blood Pressure with Quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN – wah) has become a hot commodity the past few months according to a National Restaurant Association survey.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is not technically a grain, but the seed of a large plant called Chenoposium quinoa or Goosefoot plant. Quinoa is available in many colors (ivory, pink, red, white, brown, black) and forms (grains, flakes, cereals, pastas).
Nutrient Analysis
Lower Blood Pressure with a Low Carb Diet
Let me state right up front that I do not recommend following a low carb diet. That being said I want to share some of the latest research with you.
A study published on January 25, 2010 in the Archives of Internal Medicine compared a low carb diet versus a low fat plus orlistat diet. Researchers analyzed the effect of these two diets on weight loss and blood pressure.
Just in case you don’t know, orlistat is also known by the names Xenical and Alli.
Researchers studied 146 participants from the Department of Veterans Affairs primary care clinics in Durham, North Carolina. Participants were randomly assigned to either the low carb of the low fat plus orlistat diet, received instructions, and were monitored for 48 weeks. Some factors analyzed included body weight, blood pressure, fasting serum lipid, and glycemic parameters.
Results of the study found weight loss to be similar between the two groups at ~9% body weight. The low carbohydrate diet resulted in a lower blood pressure for participants when compared to the low fat diet with orlistat. The low carb diet lowered systolic (top number) blood pressure on average 5.9 mm Hg and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure 4.5 mm Hg.
HDL Cholesterol and triglyceride levels improved for individuals on each diet, while LDL cholesterol improved only for those on the low fat plus orlistat diet. Glycemic parameters, such as glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin A1C only improved for low carbohydrate diet participants. Although it’s worth noting that the difference between groups was not statistically significant.
Like I said at the beginning I do not recommend a low carb diet. My first choice to promote a lower blood pressure would be the DASH diet. A study on the DASH diet was actually published in this same journal issue.
The DASH Diet alone was compared to the DASH diet in combination with a weight management and exercise plan. The DASH Diet when combined with an exercise/weight management plan resulted in an 11.2 mm Hg drop of systolic blood pressure and an average weight loss of 19 pounds over a 4 month period.
The main thing to remember is that you need to pick a plan you can stick with for the long term. Steady, consistent action is what will lead to results. If you haven’t already I encourage you to sign-up for the e-course 7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure at http://www.lowerbloodpressurewithlisa.com.
What do you think about using a low carb diet to lower blood pressure? Share your thoughts below.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Start "slimming down" your recipes to cut calories and lose weight!
Here are a few simple substitutions:
Replace whole eggs with egg substitutes or egg whites.
Replace butter, oil, and margarine in sweet baked goods with fruit puree or applesauce.
Replace ground beef with ground turkey.
Substitute plain, low-fat yogurt in place of sour cream.
Instead of pastry dough, go with a graham cracker crust.
With a couple substitutions you can enjoy the foods you love without sacrificing your waist!
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All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
