Introduction
Goals of dietary management:
- To maintain cholesterol level in normal range.
- To reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.
There are 3 methods to reduce your cholesterol level:
- Restrict high cholesterol food.
- Reduce fat intake.
- Increase your fibre intake.
- Restrict high cholesterol food
- Dietary cholesterol when taken in excess can increase the LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol levels. (refer table).
- The consumption of no more than 2 egg yolks per week is allowed.
- Organ meats and offal are not encouraged.
- Prawn, squid, crabs and shellfish (mussels, clams, cockles) can be included in your diet based on the frequency and amount of intake.
- In doubt, consult your dietitian.
- Reduce fat intake
- Saturated fats raise blood cholesterol level.
- Coconut milk is one of the major contributors to saturated fat intake.
- For home cooking: coconut milk if taken should be limited to 2 tablespoons twice a week in any dish.
- When eating out: no coconut milk, based gravy is allowed.
- Refer to Malaysian Dietary Guidelines.
- Increase your dietary fibre intake
- Dietary fibre can lower your blood cholesterol level.
- Source of fibre can be mainly found in fruits, vegetables, oatmeal, wholegrain.
Type of Fat
There are two categories of fat found in foods.
Saturated fat
- Solidifies and harden under cold temperature.
- Mainly found in animal products and in some vegetable fat eg coconut milk (santan).
- Excessive intake associates with raised blood cholesterol and increases risk of heart disease.
Unsaturated fat
- Soft or even in liquid form when stored in the refrigerator.
- Mainly from plant origin.
There are two types:
- Monounsaturated fat (MUFA) eg : olive and palm oil.
- Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) eg : sunflower , corn oil and soft margarine.
Other names of fat – trans fatty acid, shortening, suet, marbling, cream, tallow, lard.
Dripping, hydrogenated fat, cis-fatty acid.
Table of Cholesterol Content Of Food
|
Cholesterol content of some common food items
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Food items
(100 gm edible portions) |
Chol.
(mg) |
Food items
(100 gm edible portions) |
Chol.
(mg) |
| Organ of Glandular Meats | Milk and milk products | ||
| Brain – pig |
800
|
Butter |
120
|
| Kidney – lamb |
375
|
Cream – heavy |
133
|
| Liver – lamb |
300
|
Cream – light |
113
|
| Liver – pig |
180
|
Whipped topping |
85
|
| Heart |
150
|
Sour cream |
66
|
| Meat and poultry | Cheese |
90
|
|
| Turkey – dark meat |
101
|
Cottage cheese – cream |
19
|
| Turkey – light meat |
77
|
Cottage cheese – uncream |
7
|
| Chicken |
85
|
Cream cheese |
111
|
| Lamb |
70
|
Cheese spread |
64
|
| Pork – fat |
63
|
Evaporated unsweetened milk |
31
|
| Pork – lean |
50
|
Full cream powdered milk |
105
|
| Mutton |
55
|
Skim Milk |
22
|
| Beef |
45
|
Fat | |
| Fish and shellfish | Lard |
95
|
|
| Anchovy with head |
383
|
Mayonaise |
70
|
| Anchovy minus head |
58
|
Miscellaneous | |
| Prawns – dried |
353
|
Liver rendang |
215
|
| Prawns – fresh |
130
|
Fried mee Indian style |
160
|
| Cuttlefish |
120
|
Tosei with egg |
85
|
| Crab meat |
100
|
Sambal udang |
79
|
| Oyster |
50
|
Fried kuetiau with cockles |
64
|
| Cockles |
45
|
Lap Cheong |
56
|
| Fish roe (telur ikan) |
300
|
Satay |
55
|
| Sardines – canned in oil |
140
|
Fried rice |
48
|
| Mackerel |
35
|
Mutton curry |
47
|
| Threadfin |
4
|
Dumpling – tai paw |
56
|
| Spanish mackerel |
3
|
Dumpling – char siew |
13
|
| Eggs | Chicken rice |
14
|
|
| Hen egg – yolk only |
1480
|
Nasi beriani |
11
|
| Hen egg – white only |
0
|
Char siew rice |
11
|
| Duck – whole egg |
850
|
Curry laksa |
7
|
| Quail |
415
|
||
| Last reviewed | : | 19 April 2012 |
| Writer | : | Norizan Mashttah bt. Mardan |
| Mahnon Suria bt. Mokhy | ||
| Siti Farrah Zaidah bt. Mohd Yazid | ||
| Junidah bt. Raib |
