Healthy Cholesterol Diet

According to the American Heart Association, 98.6 million Americans have blood cholesterol levels of 200 milligrams or higher, which is considered a risk to your health. However, certain lifestyle changes, such as cutting out "bad" fats and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, can help lower your cholesterol levels. But, before you revamp your diet, it helps to have a few healthy cholesterol diet tips.

Saturated, Trans and Monounsaturated Fats

According to the Mayo Clinic, saturated fats can increase your blood cholesterol. For this reason, consume less then 10 percent of your daily fat intake from saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats are heart healthy, and can be found in olive oil, canola oil and peanuts. Other healthy fat sources include walnuts and almonds, which are also high in monounsaturated fats.

And finally, eliminate trans fats from your diet. Although many manufactures are getting rid of these unhealthy fats, it's important to keep a watchful eye when shopping. These fats are commonly found in products such as margarine, prepackaged cookies and crackers. Even foods that say "no trans fats," may have half a gram or less of this substance. When reading ingredient lists, look for partially hydrogenated oils, which is a common source of trans fat.

Dietary Cholesterol

Another important component to watch is cholesterol intake. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should consume a maximum of 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily. However, if you also have heart disease, the amount should be decreased to 200 milligrams. High cholesterol foods include, whole milk products, animal organ meat and egg yolks.

Fruits and Vegetables

Stock your refrigerator with plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are high in fiber -- a powerful tool in lowering cholesterol. Add fruits and veggies to every meal, try vegetable soups, casseroles and stir fry (using olive oil).

Heart Healthy Fish

Stick to fishes that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, like tuna and halibut. Also, try fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, herring and other fresh water fish. According to the Mayo Clinic, eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids promote a healthy heart.