Bad news, your doctor has prescribed a low cholesterol diet to help you reduce your risk for heart disease. While you want to be healthier, you sure are going to miss those thick, juicy steaks; butter-laden potatoes and high fat desserts. Good news though, a low cholesterol diet doesn't have to be low on taste. By finding new, lower fat ways to prepare foods, and choosing foods with a lower cholesterol count, you may find you enjoy the new healthier you.

Although we all know how good foods like fried chicken, French fries and other deep fat fried foods are they are very bad for those needing to lower their cholesterol. A low cholesterol option for deep fat frying is using peanut or olive oils instead of vegetable oil. You may also trying breading and baking your chicken in the oven instead of frying it. This is also an option for French fries. While these baked foods don't have the taste of their fried counterparts, herbs and seasonings can be used to enhance the flavor of baked foods. Low cholesterol seasonings include pepper, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, catsup, Tabasco sauce, vinegar, mustard, and unsweetened jams and jellies. Grilling is also a good option to deep fat frying.

One way to lower your blood cholesterol level may be to simply cut back on your portion sizes. American portion sizes are sometimes 2-3 times the size they should be. For instance, a true serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. Think about that thick juicy steak we were talking about at the beginning of this article. What size was it? Two decks of cards? Maybe four? A serving of meat is four ounces of meat or fish without the bone, a three-inch in diameter by one-inch thick ground beef patty or 1/2 a large chicken breast. Other serving sizes include 1/4 cup of tuna or cottage cheese, one tablespoon of peanut butter, one ounce of cheese or 1/3 cup of legumes. When looking for low cholesterol options, remember, smaller portion sizes may help you reach your goal.

Desert time is one time that it is hardest for most to stick to a low cholesterol diet. However, you can still eat desert, just weigh your options carefully. Homemade baked goods made with low-fat or fat-free ingredients are ideal. Other low cholesterol options include gelatin, angel food cake, low-fat frozen deserts, ginger snaps, sorbets or sherbet. Any commercially prepared cakes or cookies should be avoided as well as commercial desert mixes. Chocolate and ice cream are also two deserts to be avoided by those wishing to eat a low cholesterol diet.

Even though your doctor wants you to eat a low cholesterol diet doesn't mean you have to skimp on taste. Although it may take you awhile to adjust to your new eating habits, you will find that your health will improve and your doctor will be pleased.