8 ways to enjoy comfort food while watching your cholesterol

Think having high cholesterol levels means saying goodbye to your favorite comfort foods, adios to Mexican fare, and ciao to Italian cuisine? With some smart ingredient swaps, you can still enjoy many of your favorites.

Eating foods with dietary cholesterol has a modest effect on the amount of cholesterol in your blood, but saturated fat significantly raises levels of LDL (aka low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol). Saturated fat is found predominantly in foods made from animal products like meat, lard, cheese, butter, and other full-fat dairy products. Foods made with refined carbohydrates (like white flours, breads, and pasta), while not always high in saturated fat, can also contribute to the risk of heart disease. Here are eight ways to keep classic dishes on your menu while being mindful of saturated fat, refined carbs, and cholesterol.

Eggs can still be the centerpiece of your next Sunday brunch if you opt for an egg-white omelet. Substituting two egg whites for each whole egg saves you 186 mg of cholesterol. Hate to waste the yolks? Use zero-cholesterol egg substitute instead (1/4 cup equals one whole egg). Fill your omelet with veggies, a sprinkle of part-skim mozzarella cheese, and a dollop of salsa for a tasty, low-cholesterol breakfast.

Cheese-smothered enchiladas, monster-sized burritos, and other Tex-Mex-style favorites often contain large amounts of saturated fat. Traditional Mexican fare, meanwhile, typically  highlights reasonable portions and contains lots of cholesterol-lowering ingredients, including beans, avocado, and squash.

For starters, skip the fried tortilla chips and choose soft corn rather than higher-calorie flour tortillas. Opt for dishes made with grilled seafood or chicken (rather than beef or pork) and order your beans whole rather than refried. (Refried beans are often cooked with lard or other animal fats that are high in saturated fat.) For extra credit, garnish your food with fresh salsa instead of sour cream or cheese.

A stack of flapjacks drenched in maple syrup and a generous pat of butter may not be a heart-smart way to start the day. But making a few savvy changes can help you keep them on the griddle.

Start by making a multigrain batter using a combination of whole-wheat pastry flour, buckwheat flour, and rolled oats. High-fiber foods like these can help reduce cholesterol levels. Substitute two egg whites for each whole egg in the recipe and whip the whites to make your pancakes extra fluffy. Swap the maple syrup for blueberries and trade butter for vegan margarine. You’ll get plenty of the flavor with less of an effect on your cholesterol.

Nothing satisfies quite like a juicy burger, and when you make cholesterol-friendly choices, it can be more than just an occasional treat.

If you enjoy beef, opt for 3-ounce patties made with 90 percent lean ground beef to trim the saturated fat. Or go with lean ground turkey. To add fiber and reduce saturated fat even further, fill out the meat mixture with cooked bulgur, quinoa, or finely chopped mushrooms. And keep an eye on the extras: Use a whole-grain bun, add a slice of cholesterol-lowering avocado instead of cheese, and top with mustard rather than mayo.

Comforting and filling, lasagna is one of the world's most beloved casseroles. But when it's layered with refined pasta and lots of cheese, it does your heart health no favors.

Keep it in your weekly dinner rotation by using whole-wheat noodles and tweaking your cheese. When you switch from whole-milk ricotta to part-skim, you can cut saturated fat levels significantly. Using low-fat cottage cheese or even tofu can reduce fat even more. Be sure to add lots of tasty vegetables, such as sauteed mushrooms for meaty flavor and spinach for color. If you want to up your veggie quotient even further, swap out the noodles entirely and layer your casserole instead with eggplant and zucchini.

Chinese takeout can be a convenient dinner option, but it’s important to make shrewd choices to sidestep fat and sodium. Hot-and-sour soup, steamed dumplings, and entrees that are steamed or lightly stir-fried contain less saturated fat than items like crispy egg rolls or other deep-fried specialties (we’re looking at you, General Tso). Choose dishes with lots of vegetables and light sauces and order your food prepared without MSG, soy sauce, or added salt to keep sodium in check. (Excessive amounts of sodium can increase the risk of high blood pressure.) Ask for steamed brown rice on the side instead of fried white rice.

You don't have to kick juicy steaks off the grill (and menu) because you have high cholesterol. Just choose a leaner cut of beef.

Trade well-marbled rib eye or porterhouse for lean tenderloin, flank steak, or filet mignon, and trim away any excess fat. If you can, go for grass-fed beef, which may contain 25 percent less saturated fat and 20 percent less cholesterol than grain-fed beef. (Cooking tip: Marinate super-lean grass-fed beef before grilling to help make it more tender.) Just remember not to overdo it because even leaner cuts have their share of saturated fat. A good rule of thumb is to limit red meat to one 3-ounce serving per week.

Like to finish dinner with a little something sweet? Here's the good news: You can enjoy a luscious dessert and manage your cholesterol at the same time.

Instead of ice cream, reach for rich, creamy nonfat Greek yogurt. Research suggests that yogurt can have the effect of lowering levels of LDL and increasing HDL (high-density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol). To add sweetness and even more cholesterol-lowering benefit, top your yogurt with a handful of fresh fiber-filled blueberries or raspberries.