Want to eat a more heart healthy diet? Looking for ways to cut some cholesterol from your meals? Here are some options to help you make eating decisions that are better for you and contain a lower cholesterol count.

First, keep in mind that the majority of your cholesterol intake comes from animal products. These include things such as meats, egg yolks and whole milk. While trying to eat a lower cholesterol diet, you should steer clear of these foods as well as foods that contain these items in them.

Although meats do contain cholesterol, many people do not wish to avoid meat altogether in their diet. There are some sensible options to the higher fat meats available. When choosing a meat you should first trim the fat from your meat and limit your meat intake to one 3-ounce serving 5 times weekly. Ideal meats for a lower cholesterol diet include lean ground beef, lamb, veal, chicken and turkey. Meats you should avoid include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, lunch meat and processed poultry products.

Dairy products are also a group of foods that should be avoided if possible when devising a lower cholesterol diet. Of course, we all know that we need calcium in our diets and dairy products are the best way to get this calcium. So what are we to do? First, go for low-fat or non-fat milk or milk products. Other good choices include buttermilk, sweet acidophilus skim milk, low-fat yogurt, mozzarella or ricotta cheese, and low-fat cottage cheese. Dairy products to avoid include whole or 2% milk, chocolate milk, milkshakes, cream cheese, any processed chesses and whole milk or custard style yogurt.

While fruits and vegetables are generally considered a good lower cholesterol food choice, there are even some fruits and vegetables you should avoid. These include tomato sauce; spaghetti sauce; breaded, creamed or fat-fried vegetables; fruits packed in heavy syrup; sweetened dried fruits; and fried fruit snack chips.

Egg yolks are also a no-no when trying to eat a lower cholesterol diet. You should avoid eating more than four egg yolks per week, or consuming food containing more than four egg yolks per week. For less cholesterol in your diet, try cooking only with egg whites or using low cholesterol egg substitutes.

High fat foods should also be avoided when trying to eat a lower cholesterol diet. The best oils include sunflower oil, corn oil, olive oil, or peanut oil. Oils to avoid include butter, lard, bacon drippings, coconut oil and hydrogenated fats. Also, when choosing margarine, a tub is preferable over the stick form. Margarine should be made with unsaturated fats and liquid oils as opposed to saturated fats and hardened oils.

It is possible to help improve your heart health by eating a lower cholesterol diet. By knowing what foods to avoid and which foods are better for your health, you can begin to make good eating choices. When you begin to eat lower cholesterol foods, your body and your heart will thank you.