Taking action is the best way to keep your cholesterol numbers low. Taking action means following a heart healthy diet that is low in:
- saturated fat
- trans fat, and
- cholesterol;
And rich in:
- whole grains,
- beans,
- fresh fruits and vegetables,
- unsalted nuts,
- non-tropical vegetable oils,
- foods fortified with sterols and stanols,
- soy,
- fatty fish, and
- soluble fiber and oats.
Here are some guidelines to help you take action and get in more heart healthy foods:
| Meats, poultry, fish and other protein foods | |
|---|---|
| Instead of | Try |
| High-fat processed and fried meat, cold cuts, corned beef, hotdogs, egg yolks | Unprocessed meats including lean cuts of beef, turkey, pork and chicken; egg whites |
| Seafood like shrimp, lobster, crab | Fish, tuna, beans, peas, salmon, walnuts, almonds, tofu, egg whites |
| Cured meats | |
| Instead of | Try |
| Pork bacon, ham | Uncured versions of turkey bacon, lean ham, and Canadian bacon. |
| Pork sausage and pork | Unprocessed pork breakfast products, uncured pork tenderloin or chops |
| Dairy products | |
| Instead of | Try |
| Whole milk and half & half | Skim or 1% milk |
| Whole milk and processed cheeses | Low-fat or part-skim milk cheeses, hard cheeses |
| Heavy cream, evaporated milk | Evaporated skim milk |
| Sour cream | Low-fat yogurt |
| Fats, spreads, and salad dressings | |
| Instead of | Try |
| Solid fats like lard, butter, shortening, partially hydrogenated oils, tropical oils | Small amounts of non-tropical vegetable oils like corn, canola, or olive oil |
| Regular mayonnaise | Non-fat or low-fat types of yogurt and mayonnaise |
| Regular salad dressing | Non-fat or low-fat salad dressing or homemade vinaigrette dressings made with olive oil or vegetable oil |
Reading food labels can also help you take action and choose heart healthy foods. Look for foods with these nutrient claims on the labels:
- reduced or less fat
- fat free
- low cholesterol or cholesterol free
- saturated fat free
Questions?
If you have questions for the St. Jude dietitians, call the Clinical Nutrition office at 901-595-3318. If you are calling from outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free 1-866-2ST-JUDE (1-866-278-5833), extension 3318.
This document is not intended to take the place of the care and attention of your personal physician or other professional medical services. Our aim is to promote active participation in your care and treatment by providing information and education. Questions about individual health concerns or specific treatment options should be discussed with your physician.
St. Jude complies with health care-related federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
ATTENTION: If you speak another language, assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-866-278-5833 (TTY: 1-901-595-1040).
ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-866-278-5833 (TTY: 1-901-595-1040).
تنبيه: إذا كنت تتحدث باللغة العربية فيمكنك الاستعانة بخدمات المساعدة اللغوية المتوفرة لك مجانا. .يرجى الاتصال بالرقم. 5833-278-866-1 (الهاتف النصي: 1040-595-901-1).