What fish is best to eat if you have high cholesterol and in what quantities?

An increase in blood cholesterol contributes to the occurrence of serious diseases: diabetes, atherosclerosis, stroke.
To normalize the indicators, doctors recommend following a diet, namely, reducing the amount of fat in the diet. However, not all fats are bad. For the normal functioning of all organs and systems, a person needs unsaturated fatty acids.

If Omega 6 and 9 can be obtained from plant foods and meat, then Omega 3 is found only in fish and seafood.

Fish also contains cholesterol. Therefore, in order to get the maximum benefit from fish, you should choose the right type and method of preparation.

Composition and benefits for the body

Humanity began to eat fish for a very long time. To date, the popularity of this product remains high. This is due to its numerous beneficial properties and nutritional value. Of the 20 thousand fish, several hundred are used as food. Fish can be either sea or freshwater (river or lake).

Sea fish is of greatest value, as it is more dietary. If the fat of river fish is similar in composition to poultry fat, then the inhabitants of the seas contain a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Sturgeon and salmon breeds are considered the most useful. Freshwater ones benefit from a small amount of fat and an abundance of microelements in the composition. Caviar provides additional, significant benefits when consumed correctly.

The benefits of fish are as follows:

1. High protein (protein) content with its excellent digestibility. Fish is digested twice as fast as meat and is absorbed almost 100%.

2. Abundance of essential amino acids . It contains valine, tryptophan, methionine, which act as building material for cells. The body does not synthesize these acids, but can only receive them from the outside.
3. Fats . Unlike animal fat, which contains bad cholesterol (LDL), fish oil contains predominantly good cholesterol (HDL). The melting point of fish oil is very low, which makes it easy to digest. Omega-3s increase the production of HDL, which promotes the removal of atherogenic fractions of cholesterol, prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques and prevents the risk of heart attack, stroke, ischemia, and hypertension.
4. A huge amount of vitamins . There are vitamins A, C, E, which are powerful antioxidants. Vitamin B 12 is necessary for normal hematopoiesis.
5. Content of micro- and macroelements . River rocks are rich in phosphorus, potassium, fluorine, iron, sodium and selenium. Marine salts additionally contain iodine and bromine.

Thus, fish and seafood reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. Thanks to this, people who regularly eat fish have a 20% lower risk of heart disease.

Cholesterol content in fish

About 70-75% of cholesterol is produced by the liver and about 25% comes from food.
The amount of cholesterol depends on the variety. Based on fat content, the following product categories are distinguished:

1. Low-fat varieties (less than 3% lipids): pike, perch, cod and many other freshwater fish.
2. Medium-fat (about 8%): sprat, sea bass, carp, bream.
3. Fatty species (from 9 to 19%): sturgeon, mackerel, saury.
4. Very fatty (more than 20%): salmon, river trout, herring, eel, halibut.

The maximum amount of fat is present in fish in winter, and the minimum is after spawning, that is, in summer.

Interesting! Cod liver contains almost 73% fat. This is the fattest fish product.

The cholesterol content in different fish is presented in the table:

Daily value for high cholesterol

Doctors recommend that patients with high LDL cholesterol consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol per day. That is, they can eat no more than 60-70 grams of mackerel or carp. But trout or pollock are allowed in the amount of 200-300 g. This is provided that they are the only source of cholesterol, and all other food is plant-based.

If on this day a person drank a glass of milk (100 mg) or ate a piece of chicken (200 mg), then no more than 100-150 g of low-fat fish can be consumed. It is better to eat fatty varieties on a separate day.

On average, nutritionists advise including standard portions of fatty fish in your diet, 150 grams 2-3 times a week.

Selected recommendations

People who already suffer from atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, excess weight and CVD should definitely print out lists of foods that increase blood cholesterol levels. For them, creating the right menu can be a matter of life and death. By correctly distributing the “green” and “yellow” lists in the diet and abandoning the “red” and “black” ones, you can normalize LDL levels and significantly improve your well-being.

Those who adhere to the principles of proper nutrition or have a predisposition to CVD should strictly adhere to the daily intake of cholesterol (300 mg). There are tables showing how much of this substance is contained in a particular product - they allow you not to exceed the recommended value (presented below). This will protect the cardiovascular system from many problems and reduce the risk of diseases associated with it.

Fast food

Separately, it is worth mentioning foods that increase cholesterol levels by as much as 45%. They can be included in two lists at once - “red” (because they themselves contain this harmful substance in large quantities) and “black” (they do not contain it, but they must be excluded from the diet forever).

Fast food should be eliminated from your diet forever

This is everyone's favorite fast food:

• hot dogs;
• hamburgers;
• cheeseburgers;
• sandwiches;
• nuggets;
• shawarma, etc.

They contain a large amount of trans fats, which are harmful to blood vessels and health in general. They are contraindicated in almost all diseases.

Sushi

The question immediately arises about equally popular sushi. The situation with them is different. Those that include salmon, tuna and eel are definitely healthy as they contain omega fats. At the same time, take a closer look at what else was used to prepare them. Many sauces, Japanese omelette, caviar, soft cheese can increase LDL in the blood. In addition, if the fish is fresh, it is healthy; if it is smoked, it is better not to order such rolls.

The safest: Philadelphia, California, Unagi, Maguro (in their classic version).

Tempura should be avoided, since it is not known exactly how they are baked - with the use of trans fats or not.

Therefore, conditionally, sushi, rolls, gunkans and other fish dishes of oriental national cuisine can be attributed to the “yellow” list of products. Their use should be limited and the composition should be studied more carefully.

Omega 3 content in fish

The benefits of fish lie mainly in their high Omega-3 content. This substance is not synthesized by the body, so it can only be obtained from food. The daily requirement for this substance is 250-300 mg.

Omega-3 content in different varieties:

Proper use and preparation

If you have high cholesterol, it is important that the fish is cooked properly. Allowed to boil, bake or steam. You can also cook fish cutlets. When cooked, the amount of cholesterol in fish decreases slightly. The most optimal side dish for fish are vegetables (stewed, baked, raw), fresh herbs, and a little boiled rice.

It is prohibited to eat fish prepared in the following ways:

1. Fried, especially breaded. In this case, the amount of fat, carcinogenic substances that provoke the development of cancer tumors, increases.
2. Smoked. Excess salt and carcinogens have a negative effect on the body.
3. Salty. Salt retains fluid in the body and increases blood pressure.
4. Raw (in Japanese dishes). In the absence of heat treatment, the product retains parasites, E. coli and other dangerous components.
5. Paired with fried potatoes. Despite the popularity of this dish, it is prohibited if you have high cholesterol.

Best Recipes

If a doctor advises you to follow a diet, this does not mean that the menu will be boring and bland. There are many different recipes that you can use to prepare delicious dietary fish dishes.

Steamed cod with vegetable side dish

Marinate cod pieces (about 1 kg) in lemon juice mixed with garlic, soy sauce, and sunflower oil for 25 minutes. Liquid ingredients are taken in approximately 50 ml, soy sauce - about 30 mg, as it contains a lot of salt. You can add a mixture of Provencal herbs to the marinade.

For garnish, take potatoes, zucchini, cauliflower in equal parts, cut into cubes. Place vegetables-fish-vegetables in the bowl of a multicooker or steamer. Set to steam cooking mode. Cook for no more than 20 minutes. Serve the finished dish with dill and lemon slices.

Thanks to the spicy marinade, the dish acquires an exquisite taste, and vegetables will add satiety to it.

Rainbow trout in foil

Clean, gut, and rinse medium-sized trout. Mix greens (parsley, dill, marjoram sprig) with vegetable oil. Stuff the belly of the trout with this mixture and add a slice of lemon. Wrap the fish in foil to prevent the juices from leaking out during cooking.

Place the fish in a hot oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Serve trout in foil or place on a platter. It will be complemented by boiled rice and fresh herbs. This dish becomes very tender and juicy, since the foil retains all the juice that is released.

Beneficial features

Fish is one of the healthiest foods for humans. Dishes made from high-quality sea fish fill the body with easily digestible protein compounds.

Effects of fish on the body:

• Corrects the functioning of the thyroid gland and the activity of the adrenal glands;
• Controls the functioning of the endocrine system;
• Calms the nervous system and restores all its centers;
• Increases emotional mood;
• Memory improves and intellectual abilities increase;
• Sleep becomes stable;
• Metabolic processes in the body return to normal and metabolism is restored.

With an increased cholesterol index, fish dishes reduce the low molecular density lipoprotein index and prevent the development of such serious pathologies:

• Pathology thrombosis or thromboembolism;
• Hypertonic disease;
• Systemic atherosclerosis;
• Rapid heartbeat - tachycardia;
• Heart rhythm disturbance - arrhythmia;
• Ischemia of the cardiac organ - angina pectoris;
• Myocardial infarction;
• Brain stroke of ischemic or hemorrhagic type.

Prevents the development of tachycardia

Possible harm and contraindications

Despite the enormous benefits of fish, it can be harmful. The fact is that freshwater and marine life tend to accumulate harmful chemicals from water. Salmon and tuna are especially likely to accumulate lead, arsenic and other heavy metals.

Some species (sturgeon, trout) are raised in special farms. Unscrupulous manufacturers use various additives to add color and increase the size of carcasses.

It is strictly contraindicated to eat this product in its raw form, especially for pregnant women and small children. Parasites are often invisible to the human eye, but cause enormous harm to the body.

It is also prohibited to eat:

• unfamiliar fish species;
• caught in “suspicious bodies of water”;
• sold in unauthorized places without appropriate documents (on the street), since it is unknown where and when the fish were caught;
• carcasses with external damage, ulcers, unhealthy plaque, and unpleasant odor.

High cholesterol: causes and treatment

Factors that may cause excessive levels of the substance in the blood include:

• Excessive body weight gained due to overeating.
• Various degrees of obesity.
• Many years of smoking experience.
• Improper liver function.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Diabetes.
• Excessive levels of adrenal hormones.
• Physical inactivity.
• Poor nutrition.
• Eating junk food, fast food and carbonated drinks.
• Insufficient levels of thyroid hormones.
• Sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, lack of physical activity and sports.
• Insufficient levels of genital hormones.
• Excessive release of insulin.
• Kidney diseases.

Treatment methods

Medications are often used when other methods no longer work. In the initial stages, the problem can be dealt with without medications.

To maintain your body's health, try to spend more time outdoors, engage in physical activity, sports, and watch your diet. Such measures will help prevent the occurrence of various diseases and ailments, including increased cholesterol levels. Di&Di Corporation offers a wide selection of products for a balanced and healthy diet - dietary confectionery and groceries.

We select a quality product in the store

In order for a product to bring maximum benefit and pleasure, it should be chosen correctly. It is better to purchase fish in large stores, where they can provide a certificate.

The chilled version is preferable, as you can ensure its freshness. For frozen fish, expiration dates should be indicated on the packaging; there should not be a lot of ice in the bag, this may indicate repeated freezing.

Some rules for choosing chilled fish:

1. Buying medium-sized carcasses indicates the “youth” of the fish.
2. The surface of the fish should be smooth, without ulcers or plaque.
3. When you press on the pulp, it should return to its original appearance in a few seconds. Otherwise, it's an old copy.
4. The smell of a fresh product is not sharp, subtle, which indicates its freshness.

At home, store fish for no longer than 2 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.

How to cook fish properly

For the correct preparation of a diet, dry information about which fish is useful for lipid imbalance is not enough. You need to know how to prepare it correctly. The most appropriate cooking methods are: steaming, baking and boiling . Follow these tips:

• Choose fresh fish carefully – it has a specific, subtle aroma. It should not be rough or unpleasant - in this version, the fish, most likely, already has an impressive shelf life and is not suitable for consumption.
• Another important criterion for fresh fish is the elastic fillet. After pressing, the pulp should immediately return to its shape, without leaving a fingerprint.
• Give preference to small or medium sized fish. Larger individuals contain more undesirable substances and elements.
• The pulp can have different colors depending on the variety - from a grayish tint to red.

It is permissible to keep fresh fish for two to three days in the refrigerator, or freeze it in the freezer for up to several months. When cooking, it is always necessary to carry out sufficient processing, since fish products contain parasites that are not externally identified by human vision - seafood is a source (one of the main) of dangerous helminths.

You should not pay attention to fried dishes, since this type of cooking destroys most of the beneficial vitamins and elements in seafood. This is the advantage of boiled, baked and steamed dishes. Below is a number of fish recipes as part of hypocholesterol diet therapy.

Steamed salmon

For this dish, we will need salmon fillet (steak, approximately 500 grams), one lemon, low-fat sour cream to taste, salt, pepper, a mixture of herbs. The steak should be washed and dried with a regular cloth. Then rub on both sides with the prepared seasonings - salt, pepper, etc., squeeze lemon juice on top and set aside to marinate for half an hour. At the end of the marinating time, spread the salmon with sour cream and steam for 50-60 minutes. Ready!

The benefits of fish oil for atherosclerosis

Everyone knows about the benefits of fish oil. Now it is produced in capsules, which makes the supplement convenient for adults and children to take.

Fish oil is indicated for those who cannot, for some reason, eat fish. Useful properties of the product:

1. 
   Normalization of heart function.

2. Cleansing blood vessels from cholesterol plaques.
3. Improved metabolism.
4. Improved vision.
5. Strengthening hair and nails.
6. Normalization of bile production.
7. Boosting immunity.

When choosing a supplement, you need to pay attention to the content of components such as DHA and EPA. Without them, fish oil is practically useless. The total amount of these acids should be 700 or 100 mg.

Fish is an essential dietary product for patients with high cholesterol. Different varieties contain different amounts of fat and Omega-3. To maximize the benefits from consumption, the product should be selected and prepared correctly.