How to lower your cholesterol

Eat more low-cholesterol foods. Here is a list of low-cholesterol foods:

  • oily fish: mackerel and salmon
  • olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from those oils
  • brown rice, wholegrain bread, wholewheat pasta
  • nuts and seeds
  • fruit and vegetables

Eat less saturated fat. Here is a list of high-cholesterol foods that have high saturated fat:

  • meat pies, sausages, bacon, fatty cuts of meat
  • butter, lard, ghee
  • cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
  • cakes and biscuits
  • cured meats like salami, chorizo and pancetta
  • food that contains coconut oil and palm oil

Average man should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day. Average woman should eat no more than 20g of saturated fat a day

Tips to eat less fat:

  • compare food labels when you shop so you can choose foods that are lower in fat
  • choose lower-fat or reduced-fat dairy products or dairy alternatives
  • grill, bake, poach or steam food rather than frying or roasting
  • measure oil with a teaspoon to control the amount you use, or use an oil spray
  • trim visible fat and take the skin off meat and poultry before cooking it
  • choose leaner cuts of meat that are lower in fat, such as turkey breast and reduced-fat mince
  • make your meat stews and curries go further by adding vegetables and beans
  • try reduced-fat spreads, such as spreads based on olive or sunflower oils

Aim to do 150 minutes / 2.5 hours exercise a week. Like waking, running, cycling, swimming. Get that heart beating faster.

Don’t smoke.

Avoid drinking more than 14 units of alcohol per week. Have several drink free days / week. Avoid binge drinking.

Pretty sure if you follow The Five Excellences, this would help too.

This is an entry in the Commonplace Book of Sparkwood and 21, an experimental creative studio. A commonplace book is a personal compilation of knowledge, ideas, quotations, and observations collected by an individual. Feel free to link and reference any entries you find useful.

Published On: 3 October 2025Last Updated: 3 October 2025