| Author |
Message |
    
Denise
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 03:54 pm EST : |   |
Anyone have some good, low cholesterol recipes? I've just been told mine is too high. I made a deal with the doctor to lower it with diet. Even though I know my diet hasn't been too bad, I need a little help with some fresh new ideas. I really don't want to go on meds. I'd prefer to be vegetarian. Or even Vegan. And while you're thinking, I need, nondairy (lactose intolerant), low carbs (Hypoglycemic), and Low sodium, don't even ask! It's almost impossible to stay healthy! Or is it, my dear friends?
Denise
Zone 6 CT
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Greg
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 05:02 pm EST : | |
Myth -- eating cholesterol significantly raises your cholesterol.
Your body produces much more cholesterol itself than you could ever eat in your diet. Understanding what triggers your body to produce cholesterol is important. Insulin is, in part, responsible for cholesterol production. Thus -- sugar has a greater effect on cholesterol levels than eating foods with cholesterol.
Ok -- the goal is to balance low carbs and low sugars with protein and good fats every time you eat. Never eat any carbs alone as that tends to spike your blood sugar levels and that triggers insulin levels to increase. Believe it or not, eating a scoop of ice cream is better for you than drinking an 8 oz glass of orange juice. The fat in the ice cream actually slows down absorption of the sugar. Orange juice is almost ALL sugar and a little bit of vitamines and minerals. Thus, the sugar is rapidly absorbed into your blood stream. Does this make sense?
Eat low fat proteins like fish, chicken, tofu is great. With that eat fresh vegetables and high fiber carbs (whole grains, etc). Limit fruits to a few servings a day as they contain lots of sugar. Good fats like olive oil and canola oil are beneficial for your cholesterol levels. Dont' eat all those white breads, potatoes and pasta. If you want them occaisionally, have them in small amounts with protein and fat.
I suspect you know much of this already as you are already doing the low carb, low sodium, non-dairy thing. I'm not convinced vegan is really the way to go for health. It's much much more difficult to get the proper protein and there are good low fat sources of protein.
Oh, you didn't say what your cholesterol ratio was. Is it in the good range? That's a better indication of health than over all cholesterol levels. You may have high cholesterol, but if the ratio of HDL to LDL is good, it may not be bad. Also, the cholesterol test is not that accurate if you do not do a 12 hour fasting before the test.
Greg, ND Zone 4
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Greg
My Weather
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 05:32 pm EST : | |
Well, you asked for low cholesterol healthy recipes and I went a little crazy spouting all that garbage. Sorry about that. Here's some ideas . . . I often cook coarse bulghar wheat to eat in place of rice. It has a nice texture and adopts flavors of whatever you add to it. I generally flavor it with strong things like soy, curry powder, etc. Here's what I do . ..
1 cup coarse bulghar
2 cups water or chicken stock or vegetable broth
1-2 tbsp dried onions (or add 1/2 cup minced fresh onion)
2 tbsp soy (you could use low sodium soy)
1 tbsp vinegar if you like a little tang - I use balsamic vinegar for a dark nice flavor.
Sometimes I will add spices like curry powder, cumin powder, or something like that --- 1 - 2 tsp to taste.
Heat to boiling and simmer covered until the moisture is all absorbed - about 15 minutes.
How about Stir Fried Tofu with String Beans . . .
1/2 block of firm tofu, cut into cubes
a good handful of fresh green beans
1-2 tsp (or more if you like) chopped garlic
1-2 tsp (or more) chopped ginger
2 or 3 green onion sliced
pinch of red chili flakes (or more to taste)
soy sauce
If you have time, wrap the tofu block in paper towel, place a plate on top and weigh it down with something for about 20 minutes. This will help to get some of the excess moisture out of the tofu. If you skip this, the dish will still be ok. I like to season my tofu with a little sprinkle of soy sauce before I cook it. In a hot wok or non-stick pan, heat a small amount of canola oil over a high flame. Add the tofu and fry it in the oil until browned -- It is best to add the tofu and not turn it until the bottom has started to brown. Just let it sit. When it is cooked to the level you want, take the tofu out and add first a pinch of red pepper to the hot pan/oil. Add the beans, onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry until the beans are just cooked, but still firm. IF the pan gets too hot, you can sprinkle some water in to help steam and keep it from burning. Add the tofu back, and season it with soy and a sprinkle of sesame oil.
Greg, ND Zone 4
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Denise
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003 - 04:18 pm EST : | |
Oh Greg, you are a sweetheart. Thank you soooo very much. I think we're on the same track. I know I've not been eating too many foods that are high in cholesterol. What I do think I've been doing is eating too much of the "Pasta Primevera" type foods. Which really translated into too much sugar. Had a talk with my chiropractor today and he agreed. Also, although I haven't shared much of it, you all know I haven't been around as much as I've wanted to be....all stress. And that's the main event in the story of the numbers, cholesterol and blood pressure...stress. If I could rid myself of the stress, I could probably eat the way I usually do, because that was not so bad. But the stress is the big numbers pushers.
And HA! I made "almost" your exact tofu recipe tonight before I read your post! What a hoot! We are truly kindred spirits here on GardenBuddies.
Denise
Zone 6 CT
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Jak3
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2003 - 05:03 pm EST : | |
Denise, you could try my Fresh Tomato Soup recipe....posted today.
Julie; Merrickville, Ontario, Canada, Zone 4 |
Gardenbug
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 04:01 pm EST : | |
Thank you Greg for tonight's dinner recipe. We ate every bite and enjoyed it thoroughly.
gardenbug Ontario, Canada 5b, USDA 4 |
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