Grilled Foods Low in Cholesterol

Cool grilling suggestions, and a dynamite recipe for bar-b-q sauce that's light on the waistline, yet low in cholesterol...

Written by Diet Bites

Grilling can be a wonderful roadmap to weight loss.

However, you may want to toss off that rack of rib-bones leave the shrimp off the barbie if you're watching your cholesterol intake because both are significant sources.

3 ounces of grilled shrimp contains 179 milligrams of cholesterol and 101 calories.

3 ounces of beef ribs contains 51 milligrams of cholesterol and 127 calories.

Quite a comparison, isn't it? One might assume that the beef is higher in caloric values because ribs can be quite fatty. However, the shrimp and beef are very close in energy values which the cholesterol contained in the shrimp is almost four times that of the beef.

Does your diet tray look like this?

1 Plate
1 Olive
1 Knife

If so, that's just not right. Diet Bites shows you how you can eat a lot for a little - for a little bit of calories that is - as well as grill and eat foods which are low in cholesterol values.  And how about adding 'low fat' to that?  

How so? By becoming a professional Grill Monger, that's how. You can even do this activity without high heels, a red dress, or a red light glowing on your front porch. We've made it very easy.

STEP 1 - Raw foods that add passion to the pan of the Professional Grill Monger make excellent choices. Fruits and vegetables in their natural state are almost-always zero to minimal in cholesterol milligrams.

Begin by visiting your local produce market. Pick from these healthy items: (oh my, don't you just love diet choices!)

Foods to Grill That are Low in Cholesterol

Mushrooms, any variety
Bell peppers, all varieties, colors
Asparagus
Okra
Chives, leeks, garlic, shallots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Eggplant
Peppers: all including jalapeno, banana
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage, all varieties
Corn, all varieties
Tomatoes
Turnips
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Natural Fruits

All of the above foods are ultra low in calories, though many aren't tasty as 'stand-alones'. In fact, they can be very boring when eaten raw over days, weeks and months at a time.  

So they need a little dressing up - a little spice and kick and wonderment to add fun to your diet!

But the great thing about all of the above foods is that you can basically eat a large amount of them without injuring your diet. They'll even work to keep your metabolism steadily burning, like a hunk of Diet Love.

Meats, High in Cholesterol

There's nothing like the sound of a hissy grill. We've all heard it, that ssssssss-sound as the meat juices drip out of the meat and onto the hot coals of the grill.  

But, just what is that sound truly about?  Innocent meat juices lipping at our fire sounding like a sweet lithe snake?

That's what we all want to think!  However, although the ssssssss-sound is soothing to the ears, it is actually an Evil Diet Demon sound. It's the sound of fat in the meat hitting fire.

And unfortunately, most animal proteins are significant in cholesterol content.

Based on milligrams:

Pork Tenderloin, 3 ounces, raw = 55 mg

Pork Chop, 1 weighing 145 g, raw = 104 mg

Lamb Chop, 3 ounce chop, raw = 80 mg

Roasted Chicken, light OR dark meat, 1 cup chopped = 105 mg

Cholesterol in Ground Beef

Let's look at the cholesterol content in cooked ground beef based on the percentage of fat:

Ground Beef Patty, 3 ounces cooked, 30% fat

20% fat = 72 mg

10% fat = 70 mg

Oh my, and we were momentarily fooled. I can faintly hear the banjo from Deliverance baying in the distance, can't you?  

So let's be delivered, shall we?

We all love happy endings, but most of us love bar-b-que even more!

Tips for Grilling

Put on your Chef Thinking Hat and you'll amaze yourself at all of the possibilities of flavors that you can create. Rosemary, thyme, ginger - oooh, my taste buds want to do the Fandango!

So before you fire up that grill again, here are some Bar-b-que & Spit=Fire-Grill tips that will keep your waistline in control and leave your taste buds in paradise.  

Let's hear a little guitar with that banjo, k?

- Stick with chicken OR fish whenever possible.  Go ahead - toss a few shrimp on the barbie! On Ken, too!

Search & seek leaner cuts of meat at the market.  If you locate an enticing cut that is fatty but also filled with lean, either

a) trim off the fat before grilling - leaving a little on so your meat won't be drier than a dead prune, OR

b) ask your friendly butcher to trim off the fat for you, and while he is at it, re-price the leaner wad because that fat weighs in heavily on the price!

Erasing The Weighty Impact

That's the main reason that they leave as much fat attached to the meat as possible - the heavier the selection weighs, the more it costs and in the end, the consumer is not only paying more for fat than lean, their hips are also suffering from Fat Damage.

Become a Label Reader

- Check labels for calorie content in marinating & basting sauces before purchasing.

Some contain well over 100 calories for a minuscule 2 Tablespoons.  That's about as small as a banjo pick!

Seasonings, Spices Without Added Sugars