Cholesterol diet: menu for the week

On the dangers of cholesterol for the body written countless articles, and tell about it can, probably, every second. 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 that is contained in the cell membranes of all living organisms, except fungi and prokaryotes.

Almost 80% of the 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 cholesterol discovery

In 1769, Pouletier de la Salle, a French chemist, managed to isolate from the 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 take root.

What is cholesterol used for?

Cholesterol is of great importance for the functioning of the body, so the chosen cholesterol diet should not completely exclude 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, so the amount of the cell's ability to survive depends on its amount in the membrane, as well as its strength and stability.

To produce steroid hormones, the adrenal cortex and sex hormones also need cholesterol. 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 dangerous cholesterol?

The World Health Organization concluded that cholesterol is one of the causes of atherosclerosis. Indeed, with its excess on the internal walls of blood vessels, plaques are formed, which reduce their diameter and, accordingly, reduce the flow capacity. As a rule, pain and disruption of organs in arteriosclerosis occur only when the blood vessels are blocked by two thirds or more. This poses 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.

Because of what the level of cholesterol rises?

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.

Diet without cholesterol

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. On a larger scale, there are no strict limitations, it is sufficient 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 fats. 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 a cholesterol-free 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 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 either be fresh or processed with a minimum amount of fat. In the daily diet should be a minimum of 400 grams of fruits and vegetables, as well as some legumes.

Of the side dishes should choose pasta, but only from solid varieties of wheat. You can also add bread from wholemeal to meals.

Nuts that contain unsaturated fatty acids are very healthy . Instead of sweets, you 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, the 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 diet: menu

When switching to a new diet regime, you should take care in advance to select a diet for the first week, so that at the last moment you do not have to remain hungry or eat forbidden 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.

Dinner 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, after which pamper yourself with 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 to it toast.

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

Light dinner involves vinaigrette and tea.

Friday:

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

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

For dinner, you need to confine 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: you should 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 vegetable salad.

Recipes for cholesterol-free diet

When you get used to this type of diet as a cholesterol-free diet, you can choose recipes that are already more complex.

Zucchini purée soup

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 pot. Zucchini washed, peeled, cut and put into a pan, then add the onion, then - the 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 grams of pine nuts, 250 grams of salad leaves, 3 apples, 200 g of brynza, 2 tablespoons of lemon and orange juice, garlic cloves, 20 grams of spring onions, 100 ml of low-fat yogurt, 2 sweet Bulgarian peppers.

Pine nuts need to be peeled and fried in a skillet without oil. At this time, lettuce leaves are washed and large tear, apples peel, remove the core, sprinkle with lemon juice and cut into cubes. From the pepper you need to cut out 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 fillets, 100 g walnuts, juice of one lemon, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, seasonings to taste (preferably without salt), 2-3 cloves of garlic (if desired).

Garlic crush 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, mix them. The juice should be drained with fillets, roll the fish in nuts and bake in a preheated oven for 180 minutes 20 minutes.

The result of a cholesterol-free diet

Cholesterol-free diet can help the body to establish the proper functioning of organs. With proper diet compliance, you can have positive tendencies: your health will improve, and the pathological symptoms, if they were, gradually disappear.