Three Savory Snacks to Fight High Cholesterol

Recently, we took a look at three sweet, cholesterol-friendly snacks. As you know, 75 percent of cholesterol comes from your liver. The other 25 percent is diet related. Sometimes you want a snack, but you worry about your cholesterol. Moreover, sometimes it’s socially necessary for snacks — if you have guests or you’re going to someone’s house.

Your doctor can advise you on your specific health needs. But, if you have cholesterol concerns and are reaching for a snack, these three munchies might be perfect for you. They can feel a craving without impacting your cholesterol.

Popcorn

We all love popcorn at the movies, covered in that buttery stuff that is definitely bad for us. But what about at home regularly? Popcorn is great even in our own living room! Air-popped popcorn is a low-calorie, high fiber snack. Three cups of popped popcorn is one serving of grains! There are only 93 calories in a three cup serving with 3.6 grams of fiber to help both cholesterol and blood sugar as well as keeping you feeling fuller longer. When air popping popcorn, you season the corn once it’s cooked. Microwave popcorn can have 2.7 grams of fat per cup, air-popped has only 0.4 grams of fat. By seasoning it instead of going with microwave “butter” popcorn, you can control how much fat or sodium you eat.

Nuts

We are big fans of nuts. They are high in protein, fiber and monounsaturated fat — the healthy fat. They are also high in calories, so you must watch portion size, but the healthy components of nuts fill you up! Studies have shown that they are great for heart health. A study with more than 1,200 participants showed that eating a Mediterranean diet and 30 grams of nuts each day lowered the occurrence of metabolic syndrome more than a Mediterranean diet with olive oil or a low-fat lifestyle. Macadamia nuts are especially beneficial and are recommended by the American Heart Association.

Homemade Chips

Delicious potato chips are something many of us miss when we are concerned about our cholesterol levels. Fried and heavily processed we know that they are far from healthy and incredibly fatty. However, homemade potato chips don’t need to be. Before you get out that deep fat fryer you’ve had under the counter for ten years, these chips should be baked. Potatoes are high in fiber and contain potassium. Potassium can help your blood pressure. Season your chips with herbs instead of salt, eat a sensible portion and enjoy!