Molly Siple

Welcome to the second edition of the Low Cholesterol Cookbook for Dummies and to my kitchen where I translate science-based nutrition into tasty dishes. I wrote the first version back in 2003 and the thinking on cholesterol and heart health has changed a lot since then. Research is now showing that for the majority of people, eating foods that contain cholesterol need not be a concern. When they eat more, their system makes less. In addition, while it’s still recommended to limit saturated fat, more credit is being given to healthy oils for the role they play in managing cholesterol. And in the spotlight is sugar, especially all the added sugars present in food products. Cutting back on these easily absorbed carbs is now part of the plan.

I wrote this updated version of the original cookbook to give you a way to turn the new thinking into action. And I can speak from personal experience about the benefits. While writing this book. I found out my cholesterol was quite high. Even my blood sugar levels were creeping up. I became my own patient and carefully followed my own recommendations for the next six months...with surprisingly good results. My total cholesterol dropped from 237 to 203 and my LDL cholesterol, a key indicator for heart disease risk, went from 165 to 111. During this time I also lost a little extra weight at a slow, healthy pace of a pound a month...a nice bonus. While I can’t promise such dramatic results for everyone, depending on a person’s state of health and compliance, making a habit of eating the foods I recommend will certainly move your cholesterol levels in the right direction.

A little more about me....during my career as a dietitian, I founded my own catering business, taught nutrition at the Pasadena School of Culinary Arts, and contributed articles on nutrition to Natural Health magazine. I’ve always been drawn to food as my focus, which even shows up in my avocation, painting. Here’s my still life of salad ingredients that provide healthy oils, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients which can all do their part in keeping your heart health.