Pasta and cholesterol levels – what’s the connection?
Choosing the right pasta
Low-cholesterol pasta dish ideas
The lowdown
Pasta and cholesterol levels – what’s the connection?
Pasta doesn’t contain cholesterol, but it is high in carbohydrates. In turn, carbs can affect your cholesterol levels.
Refined pasta is the most common type of pasta consumed. In this pasta type, fibrous germ, bran, and nutrients are taken away from the wheat kernel during its processing.
Some studies¹ have found that diets high in refined grains and carbohydrates are often associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.
Choosing the right pasta
Pasta lies at the heart of a great dish. Some pasta types can be high in calories and carbohydrates, potentially influencing cholesterol levels if consumed excessively. Nevertheless, making healthier choices is relatively easy when selecting the best pasta for your dish.
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.
Choosing pasta with lower levels of carbohydrates and higher fiber is an easy way to make a dish more heart-friendly.
Furthermore, a few easy changes to your favorite pasta dish can make it low-cholesterol, heart-friendly, and still equally as delicious.
Low-cholesterol pasta dish ideas
Amp up the veggies
In addition to using whole-grain pasta, add a few servings of vegetables to your meal. Vegetables are a great addition to any meal and decrease your risk of high cholesterol.
Some heart-friendly vegetables to add to your pasta dish include:
Carrots
Eggplant
Spinach
Zucchini
Olives
Onion
Asparagus
Minimize the cheese
Cheese is a common addition to pasta dishes. While cheese adds great flavor and texture, it also adds a lot of saturated fat to your meal.
If you want to keep cheese in your dishes, a great alternative is to switch from high-fat, high-calorie mozzarella or cheddar to low-fat cheeses. These include:
Alternatively, you can find low-fat versions of your favorite type of cheese or just use smaller portions.
Lean meat is better
Ground meat, bacon, and highly processed meats are often used in pasta dishes. However, they are high in saturated fats and cholesterol and can increase your blood cholesterol levels. Instead, use lean cuts of meat or choose different proteins.
Great proteins to add to your pasta dish include:
Chicken
Turkey
Pork tenderloin
Beef tenderloin
Salmon
Tuna
When deciding which protein to add to your dish, avoid cuts of meat that are fats, or consider trimming the fat or removing the skin before you cook it.
To reduce the cholesterol content of your dish, you can cook your meat on a grill or surface, allowing excess fat to escape.
You can also wipe off any additional fat after cooking.
Low-fat chicken and turkey breast are great alternatives to processed meats, as they are high in protein and low in calories. Adding fish to your meal is another great option. Fish are low in saturated fats but high in omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats.
Add spices for flavor
Use spices to enhance the flavors in your dish. Your spice rack can contain different cholesterol-free herbs and spices. They will add heart-friendly nutrients and taste to your dishes without extra fat.
Use these heart-friendly herbs and spices in your next pasta dish:
Turmeric³
Parsley
Cinnamon⁴
Oregano⁵
Garlic⁶
Healthy sauces
Having a tasty sauce with your pasta is a must for many people. However, the sauce you choose can add extra fat and sugar to your meal.
Making your own sauce at home instead of buying a ready-made sauce at the grocery store is a quick and easy way to manage a dish's sugar and fat content.
If you opt for a pre-made sauce, look at the product label to see if it contains extra sugar, fat, and salts. Another way to make a dish more heart-healthy is to skip using the sauce. Instead, use a small amount of olive oil to dress your pasta packed with vegetables, which can help soften the vegetables and give extra flavor to the meal.
The lowdown
You don't have to give up your favorite pasta dish if you have high cholesterol levels. With some simple adaptations, you can make pasta a heart-healthy choice. Avoid adding high-fat cheese, sauce, and meat to your meal.
Instead, choose wholemeal pasta with more fiber and fewer carbohydrates, incorporate more vegetables and lean meat into your dish, and opt for a sauce low in sugar and fat.
Research has shown that refined carbohydrates, like white bread and white pasta, can increase LDL cholesterol. If you can't live without your mac and cheese, opt for a homemade version with whole-wheat pasta and low-fat milk and cheese.
Choose wholegrain options such as wholemeal bread and chapatti, brown rice, wholemeal pasta or wholegrain breakfast cereals. They contain lots of nutrients, as well as fibre which helps with digestion and keeps you feeling full so you don't snack. Choose these instead of white rice, white bread and white pasta.
Golden milk, also known as turmeric milk, is a common Indian drink that has recently been gaining popularity in western cultures due to many health claims. It's beautiful bright yellow color is a result of adding turmeric, along with spices such as cinnamon and ginger, to milk.
Although all vegetables bring an array of cholesterol-lowering benefits to the table, there is one veggie that claims our No. 1 spot: Brussels sprouts.
Cholesterol is often high due to excessive saturated and trans fat consumption. There are certain drinks that can help maintain an ideal cholesterol level. Some of the best drinks for cholesterol management include green tea, pomegranate juice, citrus juice, soy milk, plant-based smoothies, and red wine.
The fiber and potassium in bananas can reduce the level of cholesterol and blood pressure. Banana is especially known as a good source of soluble fibre which will gives one a healthy body and good immune system. Grapes get into the bloodstream and carry all the bad cholesterol into the liver where it gets processed.
Potatoes are rich in soluble fibre, which can be consumed by high cholesterol patients without any confusion. Consuming potatoes not only maintains the cholesterol level, but the body also gets many health benefits. Consumption of potatoes in cholesterol is safe only if you consume it properly.
One large egg has about 186 mg of cholesterol — all of which is found in the yolk. If your diet contains little other cholesterol, according to some studies, eating up to an egg a day might be an OK choice. If you like eggs but don't want the cholesterol, use only the egg whites.
Pasta can be bad for cholesterol, as can other refined carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice. Pasta doesn't contain cholesterol, but it is high in carbohydrates. Some types of carbohydrates can affect cholesterol levels, so it's important to eat the right kind of pasta along with healthier sauces and sides.
Walking. Regular brisk walks offer many health benefits, including lowering LDL cholesterol. Walking regularly and at a brisk pace is a good way to keep fit and healthy, and this activity is often easier to manage and carry out than running.
Some evidence suggests that eating white rice is bad for cholesterol levels. However, choosing whole grain varieties adds more fiber and nutrients to the diet and may help someone manage their cholesterol. Rice is a food staple globally, with the average American consuming 27 pounds annually.
Yes! Because whole grains are a great source of soluble fiber, whole grain bread is the best bread for high cholesterol. Soluble fiber is a type of fiber that can bind to cholesterol in the small intestine, preventing it from entering the bloodstream and thus removing it from the body.
Perhaps go with marinara or a pesto as a regular sauce, and use creamier ones, like Alfredo or a butter sauce, more sparingly. "Alfredo sauce is made with both butter and cheese, offering a lot of saturated fat, as well as white flour," Jones says.
In addition to carbohydrates — a needed energy source for your body and brain — potatoes contain a wealth of micronutrients. They're a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. As a bonus, potatoes are low in calories, contain no fat or cholesterol, and are sodium-free.
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