150 Cholesterol Friendly Recipes For A Healthy Heart

Heart Disease, or Cardiovascular Disease, is a collection of conditions where your blood vessels which lead to your heart have narrowed or become blocked by plaque. There are different kinds of heart disease like blood vessel diseases, heart rhythm problems, and congenital defects, but generally when we say heart disease in this context we’re really referring to Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).

When fat, cholesterol, and other things build up in your arteries, this is Plaque buildup. As plaque builds up, your heart has a harder and harder time doing its job. Unfortunately, CVD is a problem for roughly 6.5 million Americans over the age of 20, and it’s a leading cause of death in developed countries.

Fortunately, there are 4 key ways to prevent heart disease. What’s more? These can also help to reverse damage done by heart disease when followed with enough conviction.

Get a handle on your blood pressure
Eat a healthy diet
Limit unhealthy habits
Get enough…

If you have a history of high blood pressure or if you’ve recently developed high blood pressure, it’s time to get those numbers down. Ideally, your blood pressure should be 120 over 60. That top number is your systolic pressure, and the bottom is your diastolic pressure. Without getting into what these mean individually, the point is, 120/60 is your target.

Your heart is the your most important muscle, and straining it isn’t healthy. What’s more, high blood pressure is one of the leading factors in developing Metabolic Syndrome, or Syndrome X. While we’re at it, let’s go ahead and take steps to lower all of the risk factors of developing Metabolic Syndrome by:

Working to shrink our waistlines to less than 35” for women and 40” for men
Raising our good cholesterol and lowering our bad cholesterol levels
Lowering our Triglyceride levels
Lowering our blood sugar
Increasing our activity by getting in more movement time during the day.

Your diet is the number one factor for heart disease (Plant-based diets that protect your heart, 2017), but for some reason, we play this down to dangerously low levels. What you eat fuels you. Your body literally moves from what you consume, but for some reason, we live in a fast food society where people want to think that it’s okay to abuse their hearts because heart disease is “curable.” In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Bypass surgeries build in and add in bypassing arteries. They don’t clear out existing damage. Furthermore, mortality rates among heart patients who’ve had a bypass of some level raises to between 60% and 80% after only 8 to 10 years (Many good years after heart bypass surger, but something happens after ten years, 2017).

Getting back to the point at hand: Your Diet. We don’t mean whatever weight loss, restricting, fad diet you’re currently subscribing to. We mean your general and collective lifelong eating patterns. Your diet doesn’t exist in a vaccum. It’s a culmination of your eating choices throughout your life. Studies have shown that a plant based or even vegetarian diet is markedly healthier for your heart than a diet which consists mostly of animal proteins (Glynn, 2013).

Unhealthy habits like smoking greatly diminish your body’s ability to perform at heart healthy levels. Furthermore, your overall physical condition will affect your heart. This is why trainers, gym rats, and health experts tell you to get enough cardio exercise, and why those treadmills are in your local or community gym. Leg day may be hard, but cardio is essential.

Nobody has ever said that getting enough couch time will improve heart health, and if they did, chances are they were being ironic. Sitting around on your couch, watching TV, sitting at your desk at work, and generally not moving is an unhealthy habit that needs to be broken as badly as smoking.

Generally speaking, alcohol consumption has been traditionally added in with unhealthy habits you should eliminate, but the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans points out that alcohol is okay in moderation. This doesn’t mean a delusional moderation. This means actual moderation.

150 Cholesterol Friendly Recipes For A Healthy Heart 2

Finally, it’s important to get enough. Get enough

Sleep
Cardio healthy exercise
Water
Laughter
Time with your dog

Okay, so laughter and “time with your dog” may not be the official lines here, but happiness is as important to heart health as is sleep and exercise.

Now that we have learned about heart health briefly, it’s time to check out the recipes we curated which can help you lower your cholesterol and improve your heart health.

Table of Contents

30 Cholesterol Diet Recipes for Breakfast

1. Yogurt, Honey and Walnut Parfait | My Recipes
2. Cinnamon Porridge with Banana and Berries | BBC Good Food
3. Heart Healthy Overnight Oats | The Harvest Kitchen
4. Low-Cholesterol Pancakes | Taste of Home
5. Healthy Veggie Egg Scramble | Everyday Eileen
6. Cholesterol Cure Oat Bran Muffins | Yummly
7. Western Omelet Sandwich | Good Housekeeping
8. Savoury Egg Muffins | My Recipes
9. Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and Banana | Eat This, Not That
10. Yogurt with Berries and Nuts | Melanie Cooks
11. Steel Cut Oats | Soulful Vegan
12. Chocolate, Cannellini Bean and Cinnamon Smoothie | Livestrong
13. Egg and Avocado Toast | Getviral
14. Cholesterol Busting Muffins | Yummly
15. Bulgur Porridge | My Recipes
16. Cholesterol Free Buttermilk Pancakes | Recipe Land
17. Blueberry Recipes | All Recipes
18. Fruit and Oat Breakfast Bake | Quaker
19. Zucchini and Tomato Frittata | Better Homes & Gardens
20. Mediterannean Egg Muffins | Food Faith Fitness
21. Omelet with Turmeric, Tomato and Onions | My Recipes
22. Walnut Flaxseed Yogurt | Livestrong
23. Quinoa Omelette Bites | Tablespoon
24. Ginger Berry Smoothie Bowl | Better Homes & Gardens
25. Peanut Butter Toast with Greek Yogurt and Grapes | Livestrong
26. Blackberry Mango Breakfast Bake | My Recipes
27. Oat Bran Muffins | Yummly
28. Cinnamon and Spice Millet Porridge | Livestrong
29. Breakfast Salad | Better Homes & Gardens
30. Banana Breakfast Smoothie | My Recipes

30 Cholesterol Diet Recipes for Lunch

1. Zingy Salmon and Brown Rice Salad | BBC Good Food
2. Lemony Chickpea Salad with Chickpeas and Avocado | The Kitchen Girl
3. Superfood Salmon Salad | Apples and Beans
4. Turkey Bagel Sandwich | Diabetes Forecast
5. Tuscan Bean Soup | Better Homes & Gardens
6. Vegetable and Bean Chilli | BBC Good Food
7. Moroccan Chicken Salad Pitas | Creme de la Crumb
8. Arugula and Goat Cheese Pizza | Health
9. Turkey Tacos | All Recipes
10. Healthy Broccoli Roman Style | Food Network
11. Balsamic Chicken with Asparagus and Tomato | Julia’s Album
12. Vegetable Tagine with Chickpeas and Raisins | BBC Good Food
13. Healthy Tuna Stuffed Avocado | The Stay at Home Chef
14. Hummus and Bean Wrap | Six Sisters Stuff
15. Asian Chopped Salad with Peanut Dressing | The Art of Comfort Baking
16. Warming Pesto Butter Beans | Lakeland Blog
17. Carrot Ginger Soup | Health
18. Bean and Tomato Soup | Tarladalal
19. Chicken Florentine Pasta | Dishing Out Health
20. Mediterranean Tuna Salad | Tori Avey
21. Low Fat Chicken Fried Rice | Erren’s Kitchen
22. Rainbow Salad | Running on Real Food
23. Healthy Chicken Salad | Joyful Healthy Eats
24. Three Bean Protein Salad | Shane and Simple
25. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls | Recipe Runner
26. Vegetarian Chilli | Health
27. Mediterranean Farro Salad | Gimme Some Oven
28. Barley and Chickpea Risotto | Foxes Love Lemons
29. Orange Ginger Tofu Bowl | Keepin’ It Kind
30. Loaded Sweet Potato | Kara Lydon

30 Cholesterol Diet Recipes Dinner

1. One Skillet Chicken and Broccoli | Skinny MS
2. Low Cholesterol Baked Chicken | Yummly
3. Indian Winter Soup | BBC Good Food
4. Zucchini Noodle Soup | Peas and Crayons
5. Vegan Meatballs | Minimalist Baker
6. Lentil-Stuffed Peppers | Peanut Butter and Peppers
7. Spicy Sofritas Tofu | Pinch of Yum
8. Healthy Cauliflower Rice | Food Network
9. Chicken and Asparagus Bake | Eating Well
10. Grilled Cilantro Salmon | All Recipes
11. Baked Turkey Meatballs | It’s Yummi
12. Thai Peanut Pasta | Your Cup of Cake
13. Tofu Tacos | Eating Well
14. Garden Vegetable Soup | Food Network
15. Sweet Potato Falafel Sandwich | Sweet Potato Soul
16. Roasted Zucchini Tuna Melts | The Honour System
17. Low Cholesterol Scalloped Potatoes | Spark Recipes
18. Dinner Bowl with Tofu and Avocado | Running on Real Food
19. Skinny Chicken Marsala | Grandbaby Cakes
20. Porcini Mushroom Pasta | All Recipes
21. Vegan Lentil Burgers | Food Network
22. Citrus Salad with Chia-Celery Dressing | Eating Well
23. Red Lentil Curry | All Recipes
24. Sweet Potato Black Bean Quinoa Bowls | Recipe Runner
25. Cholesterol-Busting Chicken Curry | We Heart Living
26. Lentil Tacos | Delish Knowledge
27. Lighter Asian Noodle Salad | Food Network
28. Spinach Salad with Sweet Potatoes, White Beans and Basil | Eating Well
29. Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa | The Cookie Rookie
30. Chicken and Black Bean Burritos | Betty Crocker

30 Cholesterol Diet Snack Recipes

Beet Hummus | Gluten Free Vegan Pantry
Apple Chips with Mint Yogurt Dip | My Recipes
Chewy Granola Bars | Taste of Home
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus | Lazy Cat Kitchen
Watermelon Granita | Yummy, Healthy, Easy
Baked Broccoli Mushroom Fritters | Sumptuous Spoonful
Oat and Raisin Cookies | Tarladalal
Cinnamon Energy Balls | Running on Real Food
Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas | My Recipes
Avocado Hummus and Fresh Tomatillo Salsa Verde | The Mediterranean Dish
Mango Black Bean Salsa | Taste of Home
No Bake Energy Balls | Del’s Cooking Twist
Oatmeal Cookies | Just a Pinch
Homemade Soft Pretzels | My Recipes
Greek Layered Hummus | Saving Room for Dessert
Cherry Almond Broccoli Salad | Sumptuous Spoonfuls
Peanut Butter Energy Balls | Eating Well
Heart Healthy Trail Mix | Meals with Maggie
Nutty Broccoli Slaw | Taste of Home
Warm Spiced Cashews | My Recipes
Carrot, Walnut and Red Lentil Hummus | Blissful Basil
Low Fat Chewy Oatmeal Bars | Kosher
Baked Carrot Chips | A Spicy Perspective
Ham and Cheddar Broccoli Tots | Sumptuous Spoonfuls
Homemade Guacamole | Taste of Home
Nuts and Seeds Trail Mix | Taste of Home
Cranberry Oat Bars | My Recipes
White Bean Hummus | How Sweet Eats
Sweet and Salty Trail Mix | Neighbour Food Blog
Garlic Rosemary Roasted Cauliflower | Sumptuous Spoonfuls

30 Cholesterol Lowering Desserts

References:

Glynn, S. (2013, January 31). Vegetarian Diet Reduces Risk of Heart Disease by a Third. Retrieved from Medical News Today
Many good years after heart bypass surger, but something happens after ten years. (2017, June 7). Retrieved from Science Daily
Plant-based diets that protect your heart. (2017, November). Retrieved from Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School