CHOOSE YOUR LOW-CHOLESTEROL, HEART-HEALTHY DIET

Written by Neill Abayon

MEAT,POULTRY, FISH and SHELLFISH

CHOOSE - Lean cuts of meat with the fat trimmed,chickes and fish.
GO EASY - Shellfish such as tahong and talaba.
AVOID - Fatty cuts of meat, goose, duck, liver, kidneys, sausage, bacon, lechon, regular luncheon meats, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, adobong baboy and dinuguan.

DAIRY PRODUCTS

CHOOSE - Skim milk, 1% fat milk,low fat yougurt, low fat cottage cheeses with no more than 3 grams of fat per ounce.
GO EASY - 2% fat milk, yogurt, part-skim ricotta, part-skim or immitation hard cheeses, lite cream cheese, lite sour cream.
AVOID - whole milk cream, whipped cream, hard cheeses, cream cheese, sour cream, kesong puti and queso de bola.

FATS and OILS

CHOOSE - Corn, olive, canola, sunflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower oils, margarine that has liquid vegetables oil as the first listed in ingredients and less than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving
GO EASY - Nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, peanut oil.
AVOID - SAturated fat, butter, lard, bacon fat, coconut.

BREADS, CEREALS, PASTA and RICE

CHOOSE - Most breads, pandesal, wheat bread, rice cakes, low fat crackers, hot and cold cereals, spaghetti, macaroni noodles,plain baked potato and rice.
GO EASY - Store-brought pancakes, waffles, biscuits, muffins and corn bread.
AVOID - Croissant, sweet rolls, doughnuts, crackers made with saturated or unhealthy oils, egg noodles, pasta,rice prepared with cream, butter or cheese, frenh fries.

FRUITS and VEGETABLES

CHOOSE - Fresh, frozen or dried fruits;canned fruits (watch sodium content).
GO EASY - Canned fruits in heavy syrup.
AVOID - Coconut; vegetables prepared in butter, cream or sauce.

SNACKS

CHOOSE - Low-fat frozen yogurt popsicles, hard candy, plain popcorn, freetzels, fruit juices, tea, coffee
GO EASY - Ice milk, homemade cakes, cookies and pies prepared with unsaturated oils.
AVOID - Ice cream, candy, chocolate, potato chips, buttered popcorn, milk shakes, frappes, floats, store-bought pies, most store-bought frosted and pound cakes.

EGGS

CHOOSE - Egg white.
GO EASY - Egg yolk (3-4/week)