We've all heard that in order to lower our blood cholesterol we must reduce our intake of dietary fat and cholesterol. But do you know the differences between fat and cholesterol? Let's sort it all out.

 

 Cholesterol is a wax-like substance, found only in animal foods or foods made with animal products. The food sources highest in dietary cholesterol are: egg yolks, organ meats (i.e., liver, kidney or sweetbreads), whole milk, cheese, butter and ice cream. All animal protein such as beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish, lamb and veal all contain moderate amounts of cholesterol.

 

 Polyunsaturated Fat is one type of dietary fat, found primarily in vegetable oils.

Significant sources are: corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil and margarine made from these oils. Polyunsaturated fat may help to reduce your LDL or bad cholesterol. When consumed in excess, however, these may also reduce your HDL or good cholesterol.

 

 Monounsaturated Fats, the third type of dietary fat, are possibly the best for you. Sources of Monounsaturated fats include: peanuts, pecans, peanut butter, peanut oil, olives, olive oil, canola oil and avocado. Monounsaturated fats have been shown to reduce total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels when consumed in higher amounts than saturated and polyunsaturated fats in daily food intake.

 

Here are some dietary rules to live by:

 

•  Use a soft, tub margarine for vegetables and spreading on bread.

 

•  Use canola or olive oil for making salad dressings and cooking.

 

•  Avoid regular cheese, milk, ice cream and processed/canned meats.

 

•  And finally, remove any visible fat from your meats before cooking.