Tips for Using Cooking Oils in a Cholesterol-Lowering Diet

Many think that following a cholesterol-lowering diet means that they have to avoid everything with fat in it -- including cooking oils. But some oils can be heart-friendly, as well serve as an important cooking tool. Selecting the right oils can help keep your foods healthy and your cholesterol levels in check:

Read Your Food Labels

As with any food product, it is important to read food labels when selecting the right oils. Look for oils that are high in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, since these fats are more cholesterol-friendly. Avoid any oils that contain trans fats, saturated fats, or packages that state the product contains “partially hydrogenated” fats, since these fats can raise your cholesterol levels.

Know Your Oils

Some oils are higher in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat than others. These oils include olive, sunflower, soybean, canola, and corn oils. On the other hand, other oils are higher in saturated fat content, too, and should be avoided if you are trying to follow a cholesterol-lowering diet. These include palm kernel oil and coconut oil.

Substitute Your Favorite Toppings With Oils

Here is a tasty, low-fat alternative to preparing your next meal: Instead of using butter or margarine to cook your food with, try using one of the heart-friendly oils, such as olive or canola oil. You can also use oils or vinaigrettes as a topping in foods, such as salads and vegetables, instead of using high-fat, creamy toppings and dressings.

Don’t Overdo It

Oils are found everywhere including in foods such as fish, nuts, and seeds. Be sure you factor this into your cholesterol-lowering meal plan so that you don’t consume too many oils in one day. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that your consumption of monounsaturated fats be no more than 20% of your normal daily caloric intake, whereas your polyunsaturated fat intake should be no more than 10% of your daily intake. Additionally, your saturated fat content should be no more than 7% of the foods you consume on a daily basis.

_Sources:

_{Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (PDF), July 2004, The National Institutes of Heath: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.}

_{Rolfes SR, Whitney E. Understanding Nutrition, 3rd ed 2005.}