Ok, so what's all this business about cholesterol contributing to heart disease ? One thing certain, and that is easy and inexpensive to do, is to have your cholesterol level checked to see just how much of it is in fact roaming around in your blood. This simple test can also, as a by-product detect a whole series of other potential problems. You believe your body to be in good health ? get a cholesterol test and be sure! Keep in mind that a high meat diet is also a diet that is high in cholesterol; as noted before all animals produce it, so it goes to reason that the more animals you eat the more cholesterol you are getting.
Animal Product | Mg cholesterol per 100gr portion |
whole eggs | 550 |
beef kidney | 375 |
beef liver | 300 |
butter | 250 |
oysters | 200 |
cream cheese | 120 |
lard | 95 |
beef steak | 70 |
lamb | 70 |
pork | 70 |
chicken | 60 |
ice cream | 45 |
Vegetable Product | Mg cholesterol per portion |
all grains | 0 |
all legumes | 0 |
all nuts | 0 |
all cereals | 0 |
all fruits | 0 |
all vegetable oils | 0 |
10 Tips to Better Health | |||||
1 Less fatty meat | 2Ideal weight | 3Whole grains | 4Omega-3 Oils | 5More Exercise | |
Reduce your meat portions by adding them to a vegetable stir fry. Include more skinless chicken or seafood to reduce fat. | Men should weigh 105 lbs for the first 5 feet of height, then add 6 lbs for ea inch over 5 feet. Women should weigh 100 lbs for the first 5 ft , and add 5 lbs for each inch. | Whole grain cereal makes a good breakfast. Avaoid calorie-rich, nutrient-free muffins or deli-style bagels. | Two 3 oz sevings of fatty fish per week. (sardines, mackerel herring, salmon and tuna) | Start an exercise program. 30 minutes 3 times per week or as recommended by a doctor. | |
6Quit Smoking | 7More Soy | 8Healthy Snacks | 9Study the Menu | 10Healthy Salad | |
Smoking alters not only LDL ("bad" cholesterol) by making it sticky but also HDL ("good" cholesterol) as well. Quitting is recommended. | Soy protein lowers LDL. Try soy based foods for it's cholesterol lowering effects. | Instead of snacking on high fat foods, try fruit or other low-fat items. | When described as "crispy", "fried", "creamy", or "cheesy" avoid them. | At the salad bar go for the dark greens then add carrots, broccoli, peppers and some nuts. Most dressings are high in fat. |
Average N.American under 30 | :180 mg/dl |
The over 30crowd | :200 mg/dl |
Those countries, like Japan, who have a high fish and vegetable diet are also those who boast of a low heart disease rate, and by the same token, those,like the United States and Finland, who have a very high meat consumption rate are also plagued by numerous types of heart problems. The choice is, inveriably, yours .