Community Food
 
Lowering Cholesterol with a Heart Healthy Diet

Did you know that one in five people has high cholesterol? That is because anyone can have high cholesterol, even if you are active or thin, young or old. High cholesterol can cause serious health problems such as heart disease and strokes. Fortunately, eating certain “heart healthy” foods can help keep down cholesterol levels. The following is a list of foods that are considered heart healthy:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains, like cereal, rice (brown is the best) and pasta
• Lean red meats, and skinless poultry dishes
• Low fat or skim dairy products
• Lean fish and shellfish
• Beans and peas
• Vegetable oil

The following is a list of foods that are considered high in saturated fat, which the American Heart Association suggests that you eat in moderation:
• Cream and ice cream
• Butter, egg yolks and cheese
• Saturated oils like coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil
• High-fat processed meats like sausage, bologna, salami and hot dogs
• Fatty red meats that aren’t trimmed
• Solid fats like shortening, soft margarine and lard
• Fried foods


Some interesting heart healthy recipes can be found at the following website: www.goodnewscholesterol.com/popSurvey.asp. You can also contact the American Heart Association at 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) to request copies of informational brochures and/or healthy recipes for distribution to the people in your community. If you run a food program and you have heart healthy recipes for meals that you serve, please feel free to contact Hunger Action and share them with us.