How to eat at restaurants and still control cholesterol

Previewing the menu, considering foods with saturated fat will help people with high cholesterol feel secure when eating out with friends and family.

Consider saturated fat intake

Saturated fats raise blood cholesterol levels, especially bad LDL cholesterol. So choose foods with low levels of saturated fat, totaling no more than 20 g per day for women and 30 g for men.

In addition, you need to think about how to add healthy fats to your meals, for example, prioritizing foods with plant-based fats. You can ask the waiter about ingredients, reduce cream sauces, sweet desserts, greasy sauces and dips, fried or pan-fried dishes.

Menu preview

Many small eateries and fast food chains have dishes containing four times the recommended amount of saturated fat, for example pizzerias, or some Indian-style dishes with a lot of fatty sauces.

If you already know the menu, make your choice before going to the restaurant. In case you want to try a new dish, you should take the time to research in advance to choose a dish.

Drink two full glasses of water with meals for better digestion, avoid butter, cheese, ice cream; Choose whole grain bread or bread made with margarine.

People with high cholesterol should choose water, boiled, steamed dishes, avoid fried and fried foods when eating out. Photo: Freepik

Note how to prepare

Give preference to steamed and grilled dishes. For example, you eat baked potatoes, boiled or steamed vegetables instead of fries; Choose seafood, chicken, or lean red meat instead of fatty or processed meat.

For spicy dishes, try using cinnamon, pepper, ginger, and coriander. These spices contribute to improving cholesterol , reducing appetite. If possible, add a little olive oil as it contains heart-healthy fats and antioxidants.

For mixed dishes, you can ask to keep the sauce separate to control the amount. For unfamiliar dishes, ask the waiter about the ingredients and processing methods to choose from.

For dessert, eat fresh fruits and vegetables in season. If you want to eat a salad, avoid ingredients like grated cheese, bacon, and toast; mix salad with rice vinegar or grape vinegar, squeeze lemon. When eating, you should divide the salad plate into small portions, eat each part, mix the sauce for that part to reduce the amount of sauce loaded into the body.

The same principle applies to vegetarian dishes. The reason is that vegetarian dishes are also high in saturated fat, such as cream curries, cakes, chips. If you can't fast, eat small portions or have an appetizer as your main meal.

When eating out often, the total amount of food for the day can increase. A meal out may not change health immediately, but many work lunches or snacks in the beer bar will have a bad impact on health. Therefore, you should limit eating out, or find ways to control your meals in situations where you have to, for example snacking in the evening if you have eaten a lot of lunch.

If you plan to eat out during the week, make sure to always choose the healthiest foods on the menu. If you have to eat unhealthy food, the next meal needs to be back to a healthy diet.