I was literally putting the cheeseburgers on the grill when my doctor's office called to let me know my cholesterol was slightly elevated. Instantly the cheeseburgers went from mouthwatering to artery clogging. They lost all of their appeal. Even after I found out that my HDL (good cholesterol) LDL (bad cholesterol) ratio is excellent, putting my risk of heart disease well bellow average, I still could not eat the burger.
When most people find out their cholesterol is elevated, they often think the logical thing to do would be to eat less cholesterol. In fact, dietary cholesterol is not the culprit, but saturated fat is. Saturated fat is found in butter, meat, cheese and many baked products. A fat is saturated if it is solid at room temperature, like coconut oil. Exercising, maintaining your ideal body weight and eating a diet high in fiber all help keep your cholesterol in the desirable range of under 200.
Even before the doctor called, I had been thinking about eating less meat. Not becoming a vegetarian, but making more meatless meals for my family. My diet could most certainly use a reduction in saturated fat. I'll let you know how it goes.
