Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia
EatingWell design.
Key Points
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Dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on blood cholesterol; focus instead on fat and fiber.
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Meals rich in fiber and heart-healthy fats can lower LDL and boost HDL cholesterol levels.
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This Black Bean Fajita Skillet is a heart-healthy, customizable lunch great for managing cholesterol.
When managing high cholesterol, many think they need to avoid dietary cholesterol at all costs. While those were the previous guidelines, research now shows that there’s a minimal or even a lack of correlation between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels. However, you still need to be mindful of what you eat, since foods can affect your blood cholesterol levels. Lucky for you, this lunch is exactly what you need to improve this marker.
There are two types of cholesterol—LDL and HDL. LDL, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is known as the “bad” type. And HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol is known as the “good” type. While reducing your LDL levels is essential, increasing your HDL levels is equally important. In fact, HDL is a crucial lipoprotein that may help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Guidelines for what makes a meal good for those watching their cholesterol should be low in saturated fats, providing heart-healthy fats and being high in fiber.
What Makes Black Bean Fajita Skillet a Great Low-Cholesterol Lunch?
This delicious recipe is not only an ample opportunity for adding ingredients to tailor it to your own tastes, but it delivers the nutrients you need to improve your cholesterol levels.
Rich in Fiber
Fiber is one of the most effective nutrients for lowering LDL cholesterol, and this recipe delivers 17 grams of dietary fiber per serving. Black beans are the star here, packed with soluble fiber that binds with cholesterol in your digestive system and helps remove it from your body. “Fiber, especially from beans and veggies, helps lower LDL cholesterol. The beans and peppers in this recipe are good sources of fiber,” says Claire Rifkin, M.S., RDN.
Another benefit of eating a meal with fiber is that you will stay full for longer. The fiber in food sets off a chain of responses that ultimately decrease ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and increase leptin, a hormone that helps regulate metabolism.
Adding even more veggies to this recipe increases the fiber content even further and introduces different flavors and textures. Additionally, it enhances the micronutrient nutrition profile. You can customize this recipe in so many ways with the flavors you love most.
Packed with Heart-Healthy Fats
This lunch uses olive oil, an unsaturated fat that’s been shown to help reduce LDL levels. Olive oil isn’t just a swap—it’s an upgrade. Rich in monounsaturated fats, olive oil and other heart-healthy fats may help protect against cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
One opportunity for adding even more unsaturated fat to this recipe would be to top it with sliced or mashed avocado after the fajita skillet is cooked. “I’d add sliced avocado for healthy fats and plate it on greens for extra fiber. These add-ons would make the meal more heart-healthy and also help you stay fuller for longer,” says Rifkin.
Low in Saturated Fat
While everything in moderation is good, research shows that excessive saturated fat can increase your LDL cholesterol, contributing to plaque buildup in your arteries. Red meat, full-fat dairy and fried foods are common sources of saturated fat.
Saturated fat in this recipe comes from the optional cheddar cheese, and even that is limited to 2 tablespoons per serving. For those especially concerned with cholesterol, you can simply skip the cheese or opt for a lower-fat alternative.
What to Look For In A Cholesterol-Healthy Lunch
When choosing a lunch to help support healthy cholesterol levels, Rifkin recommends focusing on the following:
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Rich in Whole Grains: Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat, can help lower cholesterol levels. Whole grains can increase the amount of bile your body produces, which has the effect of lowering cholesterol.
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Low in Saturated Fat: Try to limit your intake of sources of saturated fats, such as butter, cheese, cream, coconut oil and fatty meats. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your saturated fat intake below 6% of your total daily calories. So for a 2,000-calorie diet, that’s no more than 120 calories or 13 grams of saturated fat per day.
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High in Heart-Healthy Fats: Ingredients such as olive oil, avocado, nuts and fatty fish contain heart-healthy fats that can raise HDL (known as “good”) cholesterol and lower LDL (known as “bad”) cholesterol levels.
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Packed with Fiber: Foods like beans, lentils, oats and vegetables help lower LDL cholesterol by binding to it in the digestive system. Aim for meals that provide at least 6 grams of fiber per serving.
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Low in Trans Fat: While artificial trans fats have largely been removed from the food supply following an FDA ban, small amounts of trans fat occur naturally in animal products, such as beef, lamb and cheese.
Our Expert Take
Cholesterol-friendly eating doesn’t have to be complicated or bland. This Black Bean Fajita Skillet offers a delicious way to support your heart health with healthy fats and fiber. Whether you’re managing cholesterol or simply looking for wholesome lunch options, this meal delivers on both taste and nutrition.
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