10 Easy Low-Cholesterol Recipes

Eating a low-cholesterol diet could have significant benefits for your health, and there are some delicious low-cholesterol recipes that make it easy to make this healthy lifestyle change.

High cholesterol levels put you at an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke, as too much bad cholesterol (LDL or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) can block the blood vessels. A low-cholesterol diet tends to be more focused on HDL or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to help bring your LDL cholesterol levels down.

What Causes High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol can be caused by:

Eating too many fatty foods (particularly those with saturated fats)

• Eating too many fatty foods (particularly those with saturated fats)
• A sedentary lifestyle with minimal exercise
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Genetics

However, you can try to bring your cholesterol levels down by following a low-cholesterol diet and with regular exercise.

What Are The Benefits Of A Low-Cholesterol Diet?

Following a low-cholesterol diet can help you to look after your cardiovascular health better, helping to reduce your risk of a heart disease or stroke.

“Studies have consistently shown that lowering LDL cholesterol reduces the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attacks, strokes, and the need for cardiac catheterisations or bypass surgeries.

“This has been shown in those with established coronary artery disease, as well as in high-risk patients without coronary artery disease.”

Harvard Health Publishing

Which Foods Should I Eat On A Low-Cholesterol Diet?

The low-cholesterol diet shares many similarities with the Mediterranean diet, with a focus on fresh and whole grain ingredients, rather than refined or processed foods.

Your low-cholesterol shopping list should include:

• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Avocado
• Oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel
• Lean meat (alternatively, cut the fat off your meat before serving)
• Low-fat dairy products
• Nuts, such as almonds and cashews
• Seeds, such as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
• High-fibre foods, such as whole grain bread, cereal, and oats
• Vegetable oils and spreads

To keep your low-cholesterol diet as healthy as possible, try to avoid roasting or frying your food; steam, grill, or boil food where possible instead.

10 Low-Cholesterol Recipes To Try At Home

If you’ve been advised to follow a low-cholesterol diet to benefit your health, take a look at these tasty, easy-to-make, low-cholesterol recipes:

1. Fresh Avocado Salad

Avocados contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are often referred to as ‘good fats’. Avocados are a healthier way to consume fat when you’re following a low-cholesterol diet, and they’re incredibly versatile; you can use them to add a creamy texture to a dish and you can even scoop out the middle and bake eggs or another filling inside.

Avocados are the star ingredient in Cookie and Kate’s fresh herbed avocado salad, which also features pumpkin seeds and radishes to provide contrasting texture and crunch.

One top tip when you’re eating a low-cholesterol diet is to replace fat and salt with added flavours, and this avocado salad recipe is packed with taste, thanks to the addition of lime juice, chilli powder, jalapeno, and fresh herbs.

2. Vegetable Soup

A soup, stew, curry or tagine is a great way to pack lots of fresh vegetables into a dish to create a filling meal that’s low in both fat and carbohydrates.

For a low-cholesterol lunch, there are few dishes more warming and comforting than a classic vegetable soup, like this one from Slimming Eats.

This soup is packed with goodness from carrots, celery, potatoes, leek, onion, and garlic, and it features plenty of seasoning for additional flavour.

3. Low-Cholesterol Chicken Curry

You can still enjoy your old-favourite meals when you’re following a low-cholesterol diet – you just need to make some clever tweaks. For example, this ‘cholesterol-busting’ chicken curry recipe from We Heart Living is a healthier way to enjoy a takeaway favourite or a ‘fakeaway’.

Instead of using a creamy, coconut-based sauce that’s high in fat, this low-cholesterol curry recipe is made with vegetable stock, natural yoghurt and curry paste – you could even try making your own curry paste using ground spices to make this dish even healthier.

4. Chinese-Inspired Lettuce Wraps

Enjoy a spicy wrap with a low-cholesterol, low-calorie twist with this recipe for Asian lettuce wraps from Hungry Healthy Happy, which is another fantastic ‘fakeaway’ option.

This low-cholesterol recipe uses lettuce leaves instead of tortilla wraps, and although the ingredients list includes noodles, these aren’t essential to the dish if you want to keep the calories down further.

5. Tuna Steak With Olive Caper Salsa

Fatty fish should be another staple when you’re following a low-cholesterol diet, as the omega-3 fatty acids they contain are associated with benefits for heart health.

This tuna steak recipe with olive caper salsa from A Dash of Ginger is a delicious way to enjoy oily fish with a Mediterranean-inspired marinade. Although it’s recommended that you leave the fish to marinate overnight, it only takes 4-8 minutes to cook the tuna steaks through, so this is a seriously easy low-cholesterol recipe to throw together that packs a punch and would be ideal for a special occasion.

6. Salmon With Avocado Salsa

Another way to consume fatty fish as part of your low-cholesterol diet is with this recipe for salmon with avocado salsa from Dinner at the Zoo, which combines oily fish rich in omega-3 with good fats from avocado.

This low-cholesterol recipe takes just 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook, so it’s a great healthy recipe for busy days.

7. Autumn Vegetable Stew

A traditional vegetable stew is another brilliant meal that’s absolutely packed with vegetable goodness, and Madeleine Olivia has a gorgeous recipe for a hearty autumn stew that’s really easy to make. Once all of the ingredients are chopped and in the pan, you simply leave it to stew for at least an hour, so you can get on with other tasks.

8. Salmon Teriyaki Stir Fry

Stir fries make a great low-cholesterol meal – you just need to be mindful of the sauce you use, as well as what you serve them with. If you want to serve your stir fry with rice or noodles, look for whole grain options, while lettuce wraps also make a great accompaniment.

This recipe for a salmon teriyaki stir fry from Skinny Kitchen Secrets is a seriously tasty stir fry recipe, flavoured with ginger, honey, soy sauce, chilli, and lime to create a sticky sauce that’s low in calories.

9. Fat-Free Tea Loaf

Cake doesn’t have to be completely off the menu on a low-cholesterol diet, but you do need to be careful about how much fat and sugar you’re including in recipes.

Bald Hiker has a recipe for a fat-free tea loaf that doesn’t even need sugar (although it is listed in the ingredients as an optional extra), but is packed with dried fruit, mixed spice, and a distinctive tea flavour.

10. Low-Cholesterol Banana Bread

Banana bread is a classic family favourite, and you can make it a little healthier to better suit a low-cholesterol diet with this healthy banana bread recipe from Tastes Better from Scratch.

Mashed bananas are the main binding ingredient in this low-cholesterol cake recipe; if you’re worried about including the butter, you could substitute this for applesauce instead.

Is A Low-Cholesterol Diet Right For You?

The only way to find out for definite if you have high cholesterol is to have a blood test, so you should always speak to your GP if you have any concerns.

As the low-cholesterol diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet that’s often recommended for heart health, it can be beneficial to eat a few low-cholesterol meals every week, even if you haven’t been told you have high cholesterol.

If your loved one requires a low-cholesterol diet while they’re a resident in one of our care homes, you can be assured that we’re experienced in catering for people with a wide range of health needs that require specialist diets, and this is reflected in our menus.

For more information about New Care homes, our services, and how we care for the health and wellbeing of our residents, please contact us here.