Delicious Lunch Ideas for Your Cholesterol-Lowering Diet

If you have high cholesterol, one of the most important things you can do is to modify your diet. That means replacing ingredients that boost cholesterol with those than can lower it. This can take planning, especially when it comes to making low cholesterol lunches. Lunchtime is often when people tend to grab something convenient that may not necessarily be healthy.

Some low-cholesterol lunch ideas require more prep work than others. However, setting aside some time in the morning or the evening before to put together your lunches will pay off.

Each of these ideas contains a "base" ingredient that you can personalize to your taste.

This article covers how diet can affect your cholesterol and how to make healthy lunches.

Cholesterol and Your Diet

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by the liver. It is carried through the bloodstream to the body’s organs and tissues by particles called lipoproteins. Cholesterol is also present in foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. This is called dietary cholesterol.

Your body needs cholesterol to function properly, but your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs. Eating foods high in saturated fat (e.g., red meat, butter) and trans fats (e.g., fried foods, cookies, cakes) increases production of cholesterol. When cholesterol levels get too high, this can lead to heart attacks and stroke.

Eating a nutritious, heart-healthy diet is one of the best ways to lower cholesterol. The basic guidelines are as follows:

• Choosing healthy fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats over saturated and trans fats
• Choosing lean cuts of meat and poultry
• Eating more plant-based meals
• Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Getting 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber daily
• Adding foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids including fatty fish like salmon and tuna 

Here are five suggestions for easy-to-make low-cholesterol lunches.

Sandwiches and Wraps

Make sandwiches and wraps heart-healthy by filling them with veggies, fruit, nuts, and chunks of chicken, tuna, or turkey. 

Keep ingredients like cheese, bacon, and certain condiments (such as mayonnaise or salad dressing) to a minimum, as these can raise cholesterol.

Base ingredient: Tortillas, whole grain bread, or pita pockets. Choose wheat varieties over white and corn over flour. These are higher in fiber, making them an excellent choice.

Low-Fat Soups

Add your favorite veggies, spices, and whole grains to create delicious and healthy soups. It's a good idea to avoid cream soups and stick with a lighter broth instead.

Homemade soup can be prepared in a large batch, either on the stove or in a slow cooker. It can be frozen flat in freezer bags for up to a month and then taken out to thaw overnight.

Base ingredient: Broth or stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable). Keep a container of what chefs call mirepoix—a mixture of chopped celery, onions, and carrots—in the freezer, too, and add it to your broth along with ingredients such as chopped chicken, wheat pasta, whole grains like barley, and other vegetables.

Cholesterol-Friendly Pizzas

Pizza is all about the toppings. A slice that's loaded with cheese and processed meats like sausage and pepperoni is not cholesterol-friendly. A slice with moderate amounts of cheese or lowfat cheese with fresh vegetables on top is much healthier.

Base ingredient: Try pizza with a thin crust or a whole wheat crust. Crusts made with cauliflower are now commonly available packaged, fresh, and frozen in grocery stores. Alternatively, try making a crust out of chickpeas or spaghetti squash.

Green Salads

Salads can make for a heart-healthy lunch, depending on the types of ingredients you use.

Creamy dressings and buttery croutons, for example, should be used in moderation. Look for alternatives like vinaigrettes and olive oil dressings. Rather than croutons, try a few nuts for a crispy crunch or opt for apple or pear slices. Legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and beans also make tasty salad toppings.

Base ingredient: Any type of lettuce (e.g. butterhead, frisee, mesclun) and other greens, such as arugula, dandelion greens, and watercress.

Stuffed Avocados

Avocados can increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol while lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol.

Take advantage of the avocado's sweet but savory flesh by brushing it with a little lemon or lime juice and filling it with seafood (shrimp, crab, or tuna), fruit (raisins, melon chunks, strawberries), or vegetables (tomatoes or onions), and maybe a spoonful of feta cheese.

Base ingredient: Start with a ripe avocado, slice it in half, and remove the pit. Scoop out some of the flesh to make room for your filling.