Best Sauce & Pasta for High Cholesterol: Can You Eat Pasta with High Cholesterol? (2024)

FAQs

What pasta can I eat with high cholesterol? ›

Choosing the right pasta

Whole-grain, wholemeal, or whole-wheat pasta contains more fiber and micronutrients than regular pasta. It is known that whole-grain diets² lower your cholesterol levels and decrease your risk of developing heart disease.

Meat-based tomato sauces and pesto sauce can also be good options as most of these sauces contain low levels of cholesterol. Before picking a pasta sauce, be sure to check the nutrition label for cholesterol and saturated fat content.

Controlling cholesterol is easy when pasta is served with tomato sauce. That`s because pasta and most tomato sauces contain no cholesterol. But even meat-based sauces generally are low in cholesterol. One-half cup of Ragu Homestyle Spaghetti Sauce Flavored with Meat has only 2 milligrams of cholesterol.

"Alfredo sauce is made with both butter and cheese, offering a lot of saturated fat, as well as white flour," Jones says. "While this sauce can be eaten and enjoyed every so often, including it regularly may contribute to a higher risk of high blood cholesterol, especially in those with genetic links," she explains.

If you have high cholesterol, pasta doesn't have to be completely off-limits. By choosing healthy noodle alternatives and other heart-healthy ingredients, you can make cholesterol-friendly pasta dishes. Try to steer clear of high-fat cheeses and meats. Instead, opt for low-fat and lean varieties.

Comforting and filling, lasagna is one of the world's perfect casseroles. But when it's layered with lots of cheese, it can be a cholesterol bomb. Keep it in your weekly dinner rotation by using whole-wheat noodles and choosing the right cheese.

If you have high cholesterol, you should talk with your doctor about what you eat, including meat. There are good, lean choices. For example, you can consider chicken or turkey breasts without skin; pork tenderloin; or beef round, sirloin, or tenderloin. Avoid highly processed meats (bacon, ham, lunchmeat, etc.).

Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.

Limit mayonnaise, salad dressings, gravies and sauces, unless they are homemade with low-fat ingredients. Limit chocolate. Choose low-fat and nonfat products, such as low-fat mayonnaise, low-fat or non-hydrogenated peanut butter, low-fat or fat-free salad dressings and nonfat gravy.

If you are buying a jarred or canned sauce, choose a tomato-based (marinara) sauce rather than a creamy sauce. Creamy sauces usually have more saturated fat and calories. Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease.

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Turmeric Milk For Lowering High Cholesterol Levels Naturally

It's a fatty substance found in your blood, needed by the body to construct healthy cells. However, too much 'bad' cholesterol or LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol can put your heart health at risk, even leading to strokes.

Shrimp are notably high in cholesterol. You'll take in about 130 milligrams if you eat 12 large shrimp. But at only 2 grams of fat, shrimp are plump with B vitamins, protein, and the nutrients selenium and zinc. Check with your doctor, but you can likely enjoy them once or twice a week.

Choose Steamed Instead of Fried When Eating Chinese Cuisine

But there are many ways to eat low-cholesterol meals at a Chinese restaurant. For starters, consider spring rolls that are steamed rather than deep-fried, Kris-Etherton suggests, adding that spring rolls with rice wraps are an even better choice.

A study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that whole grains improve blood sugar and inflammation levels, which means that long-term heart health may benefit from replacing regular pasta with the whole-wheat variety.

Order Grilled When Eating Italian, and Skip the Sausage

Also look for grilled chicken, fish, or roasted vegetable dishes, she adds. Dishes with beans and legumes are high in fiber and can help lower cholesterol, Collingwood says. The Italian staple minestrone soup, for instance, has cannellini beans.

If you're watching your cholesterol intake, eggs can easily make up your daily value of cholesterol. Egg noodles have a much higher amount of cholesterol than pasta noodles. Egg noodles have around 46 milligrams of cholesterol, while pasta has almost none.