Cholesterol diet: menu for the week

There are countless articles written about the dangers of cholesterol for the body, and every second can probably tell about it. But is it really that simple? What is a cholesterol-free diet? What foods can I eat?

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an organic compound, a natural lipophilic alcohol found in the cell membranes of all living organisms, except fungi and prokaryotes.

Almost 80% of cholesterol is produced by the body itself, the rest 20% we get with food and drinks. To control these 20%, a cholesterol-free diet is indicated. What foods can be eaten specifically for you, only your doctor will tell.

History of the discovery of cholesterol

In 1769 Pouletier de la Salle, a French chemist, managed to isolate from gallstones a dense white substance possessing many properties of fats. He called his discovery "Zhirovsky".In 1789 another Frenchman, a member of the National Convention of Antoine Francois de Fourcroix, received this substance in its pure form. And only in 1815 the name "cholesterol" arose. It was invented by the French chemist-organic Michel Chevrel, combining the word "bile"( "chole") with the word "fatty"( "sterol").However, cholesterol is not fat: in 1859 another Frenchman, Pierre Berthelot, proved that the substance belongs to the class of alcohols, and since 1900 it has been called cholesterol. In Russia this name did not stick.

What is cholesterol used for?

Cholesterol is of great importance for the functioning of the body, so the selected cholesterol-free diet should not completely eliminate it from the diet. This substance is an indispensable building material for the creation of cell membranes. Cholesterol protects the cell and intracellular structures from the harmful effects of free oxygen radicals, and therefore, the cell's ability to survive depends on its amount in the membrane, as well as its strength and stability.

Cholesterol is also needed to produce steroid hormones in the adrenal cortex and sex hormones. In addition, it is needed for the metabolism and assimilation of vitamins A, E, D and K, for the production of vitamin D and insulin, to maintain muscle tone and mineral metabolism, for the good functioning of the immune system. Without cholesterol, serotonin receptors located in the brain will not function normally.

What is the danger of cholesterol?

The World Health Organization has concluded that cholesterol is one of the causes of atherosclerosis. And indeed, with its excess on the inner walls of blood vessels, plaques are formed, which reduce their diameter and, accordingly, reduce the flow capacity. As a rule, pain and disorganization of organs in arteriosclerosis occur only when the blood vessels are blocked by two-thirds or more. This is a serious threat, since atherosclerosis is the basis of many diseases of the cardiovascular system - stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, thrombosis and others. Therefore, if the doctor recommended you such a diet as a cholesterol-free diet, you should carefully consider his advice.

What causes cholesterol levels?

Contrary to popular belief, increasing the level of cholesterol contributes not only to nutrition. Of course, it is very important to choose the right products: for example, do not abuse the saturated fats that are in red meat, fat, sausage, confectionery, hard cheeses and many other products. In the risk zone, there are people who have excess weight and bad habits, with low physical activity.

Cholesterol-free diet

So what is a cholesterol-free diet, what foods can not be eaten with it? This is a diet in which a person refuses to consume saturated fats, cigarettes and alcohol. By and large, there are no strict limitations, it is enough to adhere to several rules. It is desirable to combine a new diet with sports - this will only enhance the effect.

What can not be eaten with a cholesterol-free diet?

So, if your choice is a cholesterol-free diet, what foods should you exclude from the diet?

As already mentioned, you need to consume less saturated fat. These include animal fats, there are also a lot of them in coconut and palm oils. It is best to choose vegetable oils, especially olive oil, but they should not be abused.

A cholesterol-free diet for a week allows you to include meat in your diet. You should give preference to the bird. Sometimes you can afford veal, lean beef or lean lamb, very rarely - lean pork. With meat, you need to cut all the fat. From the menu it is necessary to exclude offal, meat semi-finished products, including sausages and smoked products.

With an increased level of cholesterol, you should not eat squid and fish eggs - as a last resort, you can eat them only a few times a year. Eggs can not be excluded from the menu, but still there are no more than four pieces a week. Refuse should also be from cream and sour cream.

The level of cholesterol in the blood rises when the blood sugar level increases, and therefore, when the cholesterol diet should stop eating sweet. The prohibition is alcohol - except, for example, a small amount of good red wine, as well as coffee, natural tea, caffeinated and carbonated drinks.

What can you eat with a cholesterol-free diet?

If you are shown a cholesterol-free diet, the menu of your table must contain certain foods.

For example, an important component is the fish. Particularly useful are its fatty grades, saturated with omega-3 fatty acids - flounder, tuna, cod, salmon, salmon. By the way, studies of many scientists have proved that Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Dairy products should also be included in the diet. You can stop your choice on milk, yogurt and cottage cheese, as well as cheese and yogurt with low fat content.

With a cholesterol-free diet, fresh fruits play an important role, vegetables can be either fresh or processed with a minimum amount of fat. In the daily diet should be at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruits, as well as some legumes.

From the side dishes should choose pasta, but only from durum wheat. You can also add bread from wholemeal to meals.

Nuts that contain unsaturated fatty acids are very healthy. Instead of sweets, one can eat dried fruits, but a couple of pieces are allowed per day of black or extra-chocolate. From drinks it is necessary to choose berry fruit drinks, herbal teas, jars and compotes.

If you have a cholesterol-free diet, foods should be cooked, stewed or steamed, roasting them undesirable. To taste it is enough to add spicy herbs, but salt should not be misused. When cooking, you need to control the amount of fat.

Cholesterol-free diet: the

menu When switching to a new diet regime, you should preoccupy yourself with choosing a diet for the first week so that at the last minute you do not have to remain hungry or eat prohibited foods. The cholesterol-free diet is no exception. The menu for the week here is quite simple, so you do not have to look for rare ingredients in the stores.

Monday:

For breakfast, you can drink a glass of milk and eat toast. As a light dessert, a slice of natural marmalade is suitable.

Lunch should consist of salad, it is useful to add boiled fish.

For dinner, it is permissible to eat spaghetti from hard varieties and, for example, stewed salmon. A nice addition will be a salad of tomato.

Tuesday:

Breakfast allows you to drink a cup of coffee, but only without caffeine, and to eat a toast with a slice of low-fat cheese.

For lunch you can eat mashed potatoes with steamed meat. You can drink with a glass of juice, without sugar.

Dinner can be made easy: for example, to prepare a vegetable salad and drink a weak tea.

Wednesday:

For breakfast, you should eat an omelette with toast and a cup of green tea.

Lunch should include soup from vegetables, then treat yourself to boiled veal and a glass of juice.

For dinner, you can prepare a vegetable salad with a slice of bread, then eat a baked pumpkin with a carrot.

Thursday:

Carrot juice is perfect for breakfast, for satiety you can add a toast to it.

For lunch, you can eat a salad of tomatoes, bell pepper and green onions, adding to it steamed cutlets from turkey.

Light dinner supposes vinaigrette and tea.

Friday:

For breakfast, you can use low-fat cottage cheese and drink a glass of citrus juice.

Dine followed by vegetable soup and chicken breast, cooked or steamed.

For dinner, you should limit yourself to a corn cob and a salad.

Saturday:

You can have breakfast with any porridge, adding to it a cup of decaffeinated coffee.

For dinner, you can make boiled fish, and as a side dish to it, use a vegetable salad.

Dinner is again vegetarian: choose brown rice and a plate of vinaigrette.

Sunday:

The morning should start with a breakfast consisting of low-fat yogurt and a glass of carrot juice.

Baked pumpkin with carrots will be a great dinner, and to it you can add a piece of boiled fish.

For dinner, you can prepare stuffed peppers and a vegetable salad.

Recipes for cholesterol-free diet

When you get used to this type of diet as a cholesterol-free diet, recipes can be chosen more complex.

Soup puree from zucchini

For 4 servings of soup you need to take 2 zucchini( ordinary zucchini), 2-3 potatoes, a small onion, 1 liter of water, greens, 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, a pinch of salt.

Pour water into the pan. Zucchini washed, cleaned, cut and put in a pan, followed by add onions, then - potatoes. The pan should be closed and cooked on low heat until the vegetables soften, then a little salt and hold for another 5 minutes. Then you need to remove the pan, add the vegetable oil and dip the soup into the blender, turning it into a puree. Serve with greens.

Bulgarian salad

For 4 servings of salad you need to take 30 g of pine nuts, 250 g of lettuce, 3 apples, 200 g of brynza, 2 tablespoons of lemon and orange juice, clove of garlic, 20 g of green onions, 100 ml of low-fat yogurt, 2sweet Bulgarian pepper.

Pine nuts must be peeled and fried in a skillet without oil. At this time, lettuce leaves are washed and coarsely torn, peel the apples, remove the core, sprinkle with lemon juice and cut into cubes. From the pepper you need to cut the seeds and cut it with strips, cheese - cubes. Chop the green onion, crush the garlic in garlic. All mixed, pour with yogurt and orange juice.

Red fish baked in nuts

For 4 servings of the dish you need to take 800 g of red fish fillet, 100 g walnuts, juice of one lemon, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, seasonings to taste( preferably without salt), 2-3 cloves of garlic( optional).

Crush garlic with garlic and mix with lemon juice. Fillet should be poured with a mixture of juice and garlic, cover with a food film and leave for about half an hour. At this time, you should grind walnuts, add vegetable oil and spices to them, mix. The juice should be drained with fillets, roll the fish in nuts and bake in a preheated 180 degree oven for 20 minutes.

The result of cholesterol-free diet

A cholesterol-free diet can help the body to regulate the proper functioning of organs. With proper diet compliance, positive trends can be observed: your well-being will improve, and the pathological symptoms, if they were, gradually disappear.