Cut fat out of your diet, but be sure to get some. A diet with no fat in it at all can also cause health problems. The body needs fat to survive.
Fat has three important dietary factors on cholesterol levels. They are:
Dietary cholesterol, which contributes to high cholesterol in a small way.
Saturated fats, which elevates cholesterol levels.
Polyunsaturated fats which lowers cholesterol levels and helps to keep them within the normal range.
Of these three fat categories, it is definitely saturated fats that cause our cholesterol levels to sky rocket.
The effect of saturated fat on our body is three times worse than that of dietary cholesterol. Be sure to cut back on the sources of LDL cholesterol, such as butter, cheese, meat and any type of hydrogenated oil. Replace meat with chicken and fish, eat low fat dairy products and polyunsaturated fats such as safflower, soybean and corn oils.
Olive Oil
Olive oil, as well as foods such as avocados, canola oil, peanut oil and nuts are high in monounsaturated fats may even lower cholesterol more than a low fat diet and that monosatuates lower LDL cholesterol levels while leaving HDL cholesterol to work its magic. So, stick to a low fat diet which includes monounsaturated fats. Olive oil is a great monounsaturated fat and it is easy to substitute other oils with it.
A word of caution here; be sure you are replacing other fats instead of adding to them.
Eggs
There is much controversy over the eating of eggs on a regular basis. At one time people who had high cholesterol levels were encouraged to eat an egg substitute. Today, researchers have found that eggs have no bearing on cholesterol levels. In fact, most of the cholesterol that we have in our blood is produced by the body. Doctors are not beginning to think that diet alone cannot control cholesterol levels in the blood.
Eggs, as with all foods, should be eaten in moderation. Two to four eggs a week is safe and if you bake or make food with eggs, only use the egg whites, since they contain no cholesterol. Make omelets and other egg dishes with one egg and add egg whites.