Nutrition Corner: Lowering Your Cholesterol

Published on June 01, 2025

Lowering Cholesterol is not easy. Often the body manufactures enough, if not more than enough, essential Cholesterol for Cell Membrane Structure, Hormone Production, and for Fat Digestion. The body can overproduce Cholesterol due to a combination of factors, including unhealthy lifestyle choices, genetics and certain medical conditions.

Let's look at our diet and food choices that can impact Cholesterol levels:

Foods to Avoid

  • Organ Meats - liver and kidney.
  • Fatty cuts of meats - pork belly, fat marbled red meats, full fat ground beef, pork, lamb, and skin of poultry.
  • Processed meats - bacon, sausage, hot dogs, deli meats, jerky, and corned beef.
  • Fried Foods and Processed Foods- (Watch out for low fat processed foods as the product usually increases sugar. Just as low sugar products may increase fat for palatability).
  • Commercial Salad Dressings- try vinaigrette or a low-fat yogurt-based dressing.
  • Full Fat Dairy Products - full fat cheese, milk, sour cream, yogurt, ice cream, and heavy cream
  • Foods High in Sodium and Sugar - pizza, canned soups, chips, salty snacks, condiments, gravies, candy, sweets, and pastries.

Foods to Enjoy

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Lean Cuts of Meat, Fish, Poultry, and Eggs.
  • Beans and Lentils
  • Oatmeal
  • Low-fat Dairy foods
  • Nuts and Seeds (do not overeat as they still contain fat)
  • Avocado
  • Choose Olive Oil and Avocado Oil (again, in moderation)
  • Complex Carbohydrates like whole grain pasta, rice, and breads
  • Sweet Potato and White Potato in moderation - Just watch out for added fats from frying, added sauces, butter, and gravies.

Don't forget to get in daily exercise to lower LDL (bad) Cholesterol and help to increase HDL (good) Cholesterol. Also, enjoy all the fresh foods that the spring and summer seasons have for you to enjoy.

From the desk of UCOFA Registered Dietitian: Patricia Ricks, MPA, RD, CDN. Nutrition consults are free to Ulster County Seniors 60 and over. To make a referral, call 845-340-3456.

Back to top