Cut the Saturated Fat from Meat

• The American Heart Association suggests that people who need about 2,000 calories per day should eat no more than six ounces of cooked lean meat, fish or poultry each day. Try to limit your intake of meat by occasionally creating meatless entrees such as vegetable lasagna. When you do eat meat, limit the amount of saturated fat you consume by following some guidelines.
  1. Choose lean meat with very little visible fat.
  2, Trim as much fat from the meat as you can before you cook it.
  3. Opt to broil meats such as hamburger, pork chops and steak.
  4. Choose chicken and turkey instead of duck and goose.
  5. Remove the skin from chicken or turkey before cooking, if possible.
  6. Reduce your intake of processed meats such as sausage, bologna and hot dogs. Many processed meats are high in calories, sodium and saturated fat.
  
  

Eat Plenty of Seafood

• All fish is low in saturated fat, and fatty types of fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Both of these attributes help reduce cholesterol levels. Avoid frying and breading your fish. Instead, grill, broil or bake it. Try to eat at least two servings of fish each week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in fish such as mackerel, albacore tuna and salmon.
  
  

Keep Vegetables Healthful

• Avoid using butter or lots of oil when you cook your vegetables. Just a little bit--perhaps one or two tablespoons--of vegetable or olive oil will be sufficient if you are cooking enough vegetables to serve four people. Season your vegetables with spices and herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano and rosemary rather than sprinkling salt on them.
  
  

Avoid Egg Yolks

• Egg yolks are full of cholesterol, but egg whites are full of healthy protein. Remove egg yolks from your eggs when you make an omelet, or just find a low-cholesterol egg substitute such as Egg Beaters. You will need to double the amount of eggs you use because you will be removing about half the egg. If you are using eggs in a baking recipe, use a little bit of vegetable oil to compensate for lack of moisture.
  
  

Reduce Sodium Intake

• High sodium intake has been linked to high blood pressure. Limit your daily sodium intake to one teaspoon (2,400 mg) or less. In order to reduce sodium intake, take the following precautions:
  1. Stick to foods that are fresh, not processed.
  2. Look at food labels to see how much sodium is in what you eat.
  3. Avoid using salt in cooking.