Dietary Recommendations to Manage Hyperlipidemias
Modifying Nutritional Components The role of diet is very important in controlling hyperlipidemias. A large number of dietary factors may influence lipid levels. These include modification of nutritional components, consumption of specific foods, use of food additives and supplements, and major dietary approaches. 1.Decreasing total fat intake and replacing saturated and trans fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats The following food items contain high saturated fats; therefore, they should be avoided or be taken in moderation: fatty beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, beef fat (tallow), lard and cream, butter, cheese, dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (2 percent) milk, baked goods and fried foods, palm oil, kernel oil, and coconut oil. When you take a lot of foods rich in trans fats, your “good” cholesterol (HDL) decreases while your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) increases. This will mean that the rate of deposition of cholesterol in your tissues will be faster than its elimination. When this happens, you are prone to develop diseases of the heart and the blood vessels—otherwise known as cardiovascular diseases—arising from atherosclerosis. To find out if the food that you are about to take in contains trans fats, look at the “Nutrition Facts” of the product.