High Cholesterol Foods: 4 Foods To Avoid With High Cholesterol

Your liver naturally produces cholesterol, which can also be obtained from certain foods. However, this natural substance is generally misunderstood and considered unhealthy. Read on to know more about foods to avoid high cholesterol.

What You Should Know:

Importance of diet in managing cholesterol levels
Recommended cholesterol levels for a healthy diet
Avoid foods with high cholesterol
Healthy alternatives and tips

Importance of diet in managing cholesterol levels

The liver produces about 75% of your body’s cholesterol requirement. That’s why, if you don’t have an existing condition like high blood pressure, dietary cholesterol shouldn’t have much effect on your body.

Plaque build-up in arteries leads to the formation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), also referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is considered ‘good cholesterol’ as it helps remove excess cholesterol from your body.

Recommended cholesterol levels for a healthy diet

In individuals with heart disease, cholesterol consumption should be less than 200 mg/day. Individuals with no such risk factors should not consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day.

Avoid foods with high cholesterol

While not all high-cholesterol foods are bad for you, some foods definitely have a huge negative impact on your body. Here are 4 foods to avoid high cholesterol:

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are commonly found in foods derived from animal sources, dairy products and tropical oils. They appear solid at room temperature and cause problems with cholesterol levels that put you at risk of heart disease. Here are some examples of saturated fat foods to avoid high cholesterol: beef, pork, poultry, lamb, cheese, milk, butter, coconut and palm oil, and palm kernel oil.

Trans Fats

Trans fats come in both artificial and natural forms. They increase your LDL cholesterol level with the risk of heart disease and stroke. Trans fat has 9 calories/gram. Therefore, consuming more than the required limit leads to weight gain, which increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease and other health complications. Fried, canned, and processed foods are examples of foods with trans-fat cholesterol that should be avoided.

Dietary Cholesterol

Food sources with dietary cholesterol include shrimp, beef, pork, egg yolks, poultry, cheese and butter. Dietary cholesterol intake is commonly associated with increased LDL cholesterol that builds up in the vessels that carry blood from your heart to your body. Excess cholesterol leads to the formation of plaques, narrowing the arteries and making it difficult for blood to flow. This increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

High-Sodium Foods

It is essential to avoid high-sodium foods like salt, ham, soups, cottage cheese and processed cheese, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, pickles, sauces, etc., to reduce the risk of stroke, heart failure and heart attack.

Healthy alternatives and tips

Include a lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Flavor your food with herbs and spices instead of salt.
Replace your saturated fats with unsaturated fats.
Enjoy eating foods rich in soluble fiber like legumes, whole grains, apples, flax, and citrus.

Make positive changes in your lifestyle by following the above list of foods to avoid high cholesterol. You can also find more tips on overall nutrition and fitness on our Activ Living blog.

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