Serves: 5

* More than one-third of all cancers is attributed to diet.
* Three of the five major risk factors for heart disease (that are controllable), including blood cholesterol level, blood pressure and weight, and influenced by food.
* Many new research studies link certain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (naturally occurring substances in plant foods) with a lower risk for disease.
* Diet and inactivity result in 300,000 deaths in the United States each year.
* Seventy percent of the diagnosed cases of heart disease are related to obesity.

This is the short list. Diet and health and connected in many more ways. But enough of the startling statistics it’s time to look at what you can do to make your life healthier. At the top of the list is reducing fat and cholesterol in your diet. Fat and cholesterol are two of the most influential dietary components that affect your health. Both are associated with a higher risk for heart disease, and fat has been linked to other health problems, such as cancer and obesity. Too much fat and cholesterol are bad news, through that’s not really new news. What is new, however, are all the things you can do to stay well and the creative ways you can reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol you eat.

So should you worry about fat and cholesterol? No. Instead, take the constructive approach to learn what you can do about fat and cholesterol to become well and stay that way. The payback, in terms of good healthy, is well worth the effort.

From "Betty Crocker's Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cooking Today." Text Copyright 2005 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

More Recipes from the Betty Crocker's Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cooking Today Cookbook:
01-You've heard it once, you've heard it twice.
02-Here’s to Your Health
03-Diet and Health--What's the Connection?
04-Fat Facts
05-Reducing Fat in the Diet
06-Smart Food Choices
07-Understanding Cholesterol
08-Other Important Nutrients
09-Putting It All Together
10-Find Out About Your Food
11-Go Slow For Success
12-Test Your Health IQ
Nutrition Criteria For Flags