Here is my list of five top snack foods that not only do not have cholesterol but might help fight the battle to lower the levels in our bodies. Many of the foods I have on my list are high in fiber. Foods high in fiber are good for us in many ways and lowering levels of cholesterol is just one. My options are by no means exhaustive, but they are my personal favorites. I suggest you try many different foods that contain little or no cholesterol until you find the ones that agree most with your tastes and lifestyle.
- Fresh Fruits – Any variety of fruit that is available at your local market is a good choice. Foods as close to their original form without any processing are good for our bodies. Years ago I would only eat fruits in pastries or jams, but once I started exploring the unique flavors and tastes of the different varieties I discovered I not only tolerated, but now even enjoy a good tart apple or fresh pineapple. I don’t like every kind of fruit, but I kept trying them until I found the ones my palette enjoyed.
- Fresh Vegetables – As with the fruits, I had to keep trying different kinds of fresh veggies until I found the ones I enjoyed. Some of my favorites now are green, yellow, orange, and red bell peppers, and celery. If you must have dip your veggies, enjoy a no cholesterol option such as salsa or hummus. Hummus is a dip made from chickpeas which have no cholesterol and help fight the dreaded stuff by being very high in fiber. Because Hummus is made with various ingredients just check out the label to see if anything has been added that will raise the cholesterol content.
- Whole Grain Pretzels or crackers – Most pretzels have zero cholesterol and there are a great many varieties of crackers available. Just check labels for no or low cholesterol and possibly ones with high fiber and test taste until you find the ones you enjoy the most.
- Low Fat Yogurt – I love eating a variety of low fat yogurt all by itself, but if you like it can also be combined with fruits, veggies or the pretzels and crackers for an endless variety of snack combinations. There are some studies out that suggest yogurt eaten on a regular basis actually reduces the bad cholesterol in our blood stream. There any many varieties of yogurt that now come with added fiber.
- Nuts – This is a snack I add with caution. Nuts don’t have cholesterol, but they still need to be eaten in moderation due to their high cholesterol. There are studies indicating that nuts do help lower cholesterol.
So there is my list of five favorite no cholesterol or low cholesterol snacks. I choose these snacks often because of a busy lifestyle. Some of these snacks require zero preparation. When I’m leaving my house for the day I always pack a couple snacks to have along just so I won’t get stuck grabbing something from the snack machine or from unhealthy options that are constantly available at my job.
