Cholesterol-lowering recipes

From breakfast to dinner, from vegan to chicken, we've got plenty of cholesterol-lowering recipes for you to try.

There are many ways you can reduce your cholesterol, one of the main ways is by adjusting your diet and eating the correct foods.

Our round-up of cholesterol-lowering recipes are low in saturated fat and some contain ingredients beneficial for heart health too. We've also included a selection of our favourite cookbooks that are purely based on lowering cholesterol with plenty more recipe inspiration.

If you are trying to lower your cholesterol we would suggest that you choose recipes that don't contain more than 4g of saturated fat per serving. Nutritionist Fiona Hunter advises that if you are choosing ready meals look for options that have the green traffic light signal for saturated fat. This means they contain less than 1.5g of saturated fat per 100g. 

We have lots of other healthy recipes to pick from. When selecting what to cook have a look at the saturated fat in the nutritional information.

*Cholesterol-lowering recipes for breakfast *Cholesterol-lowering recipes for lunch and dinner *Cholesterol-lowering recipes for vegans *Cholesterol-lowering cookbooks

Cholesterol-lowering recipes for breakfast

Some of the most indulgent breakfast options are packed with saturated fat. But there are also loads of great filling breakfast options low in sat fats and high in fiber.

If you like yogurt choose a low-fat option. Opt for a wholemeal brown bread instead of white toast. Avoid butter, instead, use a low-fat spread or swap for peanut butter. If you like cereal for breakfast try using unsweetened almond milk instead of dairy.

Here are some more cholesterol-lowering breakfast recipes:

Porridge

Another fantastic cholesterol-lowering option is porridge. Oats contain beta-glucan which is perfect for lowering cholesterol. Porridge might seem like a boring option, but you can dress it up with nutritious berries and nuts or treat yourself with a drizzle of honey and it will keep you full until lunch.

Get the recipe: Porridge

Blueberry and kiwi smoothie recipe

In this super boost breakfast, there is under 1g of saturated fat and lots of fruity goodness. It also counts as three of your 5 a day, so a fantastic way to kick off the day.

Get the recipe: Blueberry and kiwi smoothie

Quick farmhouse fry-up recipe

If you can't resist a fry-up this is a lower saturated fat option than a full English. It's a great hearty brunch option. But to be extra good we would suggest that you swap the cheese for a lovely scattering of herbs.

Get the recipe: Quick farmhouse fry-up

Cholesterol-lowering recipes for lunch and dinner

Chicken is a relatively lean-meat and therefore a much better choice than fatty red meat for people trying to reduce their saturated fat intake. 100g of chicken breast fillet, without the skin, contains 1g of fat, and just 0.3g of saturated fat.

So we're on the right track, the key here is the cooking method. Adding lots of butter to frying will cause the amount of saturated-fat to skyrocket. Here are some great low saturated fat chicken recipes:

Ras El Hanout honey chicken thighs

This tasty chicken dish is a great one for making on the BBQ in the summer. Brining the chicken makes the meat extra tender.

Get the recipe: Ras El Hanout honey chicken thighs recipe

Chicken noodle broth recipe

Super low in saturated fat, this restorative broth is the ideal healthy option for a chilly winter night.

Get the recipe: Chicken noodle broth

Chicken with black bean sauce recipe

We love this fantastic Chinese fake-away that can be prepared at home in 15 mins.

Get the recipe: Chicken with black bean sauce

Chicken gyoza with spring onion and sprouts recipe

If you fancy an impressive project and have nimble fingers then you will adore making Japanese dumplings. These are a real treat and great for party food or serve with Tenderstem broccoli for a delicious meal. If you have less time on your hands you can buy the dumpling wrappers ready-made from Asian supermarkets.

Get the recipe: Chicken gyoza with spring onion and sprouts

Cholesterol-lowering recipes for vegans

Saturated fat is mainly found in meat and dairy products, so having a vegan diet is a good way to reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat. However, there are some products that should be avoided.

Try not to eat too many deep-fried foods and cakes and biscuits that are vegan sometimes have high saturated fat content, so check the packaging.

Here are some of our favourite healthy vegan recipes that are low in saturated fat...

Cauliflower and broccoli steaks with Peri Peri sauce

A great vegan BBQ option, the delish peri peri sauce elevates this dish.

Get the recipe: Cauliflower and broccoli steaks with Peri Peri sauce

Beetroot burgers

These are so much healthier than their red meat counterparts and taste just as delicious too. Sandwiched between fresh burger buns, this recipe really gives beetroot a new lease of life.

Get the recipe: Beetroot burgers

Vegetable stew

Our highly rated stew is a real veg packed winner. It's a great healthy comfort food option.

Get the recipe: Vegetable stew

Cholesterol-lowering cookbooks

For more meal times inspiration here is a selection of healthy cookbooks full of cholesterol-lowering recipes including some vegan cookbooks too. From 30 minute meals to NHS GP, Dr Rupy Aujla's best recipes...

The 30-Minute Low-Cholesterol Cookbook by Karen L Swanson and Linda Larsen

This book has been developed specifically for people with high cholesterol. It's packed with 125 cholesterol-lowering recipes and even includes a low-fat dessert section.

VIEW AT AMAZON | £9.99

The Meal Prep King Plan by John Clark and Charlotte Deniz

If you are looking for a diet book that really works the authors are a testament to this one. Together they lost a combined weight of 15 stone. This book is about weight loss in general - but contains an easy to follow plan. It's ideal if you would like to have a healthier diet but not sure where to start.

VIEW AT AMAZON | £12

Eat Your Way To Lower Cholesterol by Ian Marber, Dr. Laura Corr, and Dr. Sarah Schenker

Written by three experts in the field this is a book is specifically designed to help its readers healthily reduce their cholesterol. It's bursting with tasty recipes suitable for the entire family.

VIEW AT AMAZON | £16.99

Speedy BOSH! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby

Swapping to a vegetable-rich vegan diet is a great way to go if you have high cholesterol. Vegetables are great for reducing cholesterol as they contain fiber and no saturated fat. This contemporary plant-based book is ideal for weeknight vegan dinners even if you just use it a couple of times a week.

VIEW AT AMAZON | £22

The Doctor’s Kitchen by Dr. Rupy Aujla

Dr. Rupy Aujla is an NHS GP with a masters in Nutritional Medicine. The recipes in this book look so tasty but are packed with nutritious ingredients, great not just for reducing cholesterol but health in general. You'll be inspired to cook up a healthy storm every night of the week!

VIEW AT AMAZON | £16.99