Cholesterol is a fat produced by the body and found in some foods. It is naturally produced by the liver.
While cholesterol is important for normal body functions, such as forming cell membranes and producing certain hormones, high levels of cholesterol in the blood can increase the risk of heart disease.
There are many foods that can increase the cholesterol in your body.
Here are twelve foods to avoid if you have high cholesterol:
1. Fried foods
Fried foods, especially those cooked in reused oil, contain trans fats that can increase bad cholesterol levels. Worse yet, if you fry in used oil, the trans fat content of the food increases by up to 30 percent.
Eating fried foods regularly without a healthy diet can cause heart and blood vessel problems, such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
2. Fast Food
Fast food is delicious, but it is one of the foods that causes cholesterol. Fast foods such as fried chicken, burgers, french fries, and chicken nuggets are often high in trans fats and cholesterol.
Here are the total cholesterol levels in fast foods:
- Fried chicken with skin: 180 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Fried chicken without skin: 144 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Meatballs per 100 grams: 52 milligrams of cholesterol.
3. Fatty meats
Eating a lot of fatty meats, both red and white, can increase cholesterol levels. This includes fatty red meats such as goat and beef, as well as white meats with skin such as duck, turkey, and chicken.
Here’s how much cholesterol is in fatty meat:
- Beef tenderloin per 100 grams: 92 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Goat meat per 100 grams: 57 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Duck meat with skin per 100 grams: 67 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Chicken meat with skin per 100 grams: 87 milligrams of cholesterol.
4. Processed meat
Processed meats such as meatballs, sausages, corned beef and bacon contain saturated fat and salt that can increase cholesterol levels.
Regular consumption of processed meat can even increase the risk of hypertriglyceridemia, which is high levels of triglycerides that the body does not use.
Here’s how much total cholesterol is in fatty meat:
- Beef meatballs (100 grams): 74 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Chicken sausage (100 grams): 79 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Corn-cured beef (100 grams): 98 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Bacon (100 grams): 68 milligrams of cholesterol.
5. Organ meats
Organ meats such as intestines, liver, and gizzards are high in cholesterol and should be consumed in moderation.
Here are the total cholesterol levels in organ meats:
- Gizzards (100 grams): 367 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Chicken liver (100 grams): 345 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Chicken intestines (100 grams): 240 milligrams of cholesterol.
6. Shellfish and seafood
Some seafood such as shellfish, crab, and shrimp are higher in cholesterol, although they are considered healthy due to their high protein, B vitamins, iron, and selenium content.
Here are the cholesterol levels in seafood:
- Green mussels (100 grams): 69 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Shrimp (100 grams): 206 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Lobster (100 grams): 71 milligrams of cholesterol.
- Crab (100 grams): 99 milligrams of cholesterol.
7. Whole Dairy Products
Cheese and high-fat dairy products such as whole milk, cream, and butter contain saturated fat, which can increase cholesterol levels.
Some of the cholesterol content of milk and dairy products is:
- One glass of cow’s milk: 17 milligrams of cholesterol.
- One slice of cheese (28 grams): 29 milligrams of cholesterol.
- 1 tablespoon of butter: 31 milligrams of cholesterol.
8. Egg Yolks
Although rich in protein and vitamin D, egg yolks are also high in cholesterol. Limit your consumption of egg yolks to a maximum of 4-5 per week.
The amount of cholesterol in 1 egg is about 200 milligrams. Cholesterol is concentrated in egg yolks.
9. Fried Vegetables
Are there any vegetables that people with cholesterol should not eat? No, because vegetables are usually low in fat. However, they should avoid eating fried vegetables.
Fried vegetables can also increase cholesterol levels and decrease nutrient content, especially beta-carotene and vitamin A.
The cholesterol content of 1 serving of fried eggplant and fried cabbage is about 18-20 milligrams.
10. Cakes and sweets
Cake and sweets such as doughnuts, cookies, cakes, breads, candy and ice cream contain trans fats and sugars that can increase cholesterol levels.
Consuming too many carbohydrates (minus fiber) can increase insulin levels in the blood. This can also increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.
Here are the total cholesterol levels in sweet foods:
- One chocolate doughnut: 17 milligrams.
- ½ cup ice cream: 32 milligrams.
11. Dried Fruit
People with cholesterol should avoid eating dried fruits such as prunes, dates, and raisins. In general, dried fruits do not contain cholesterol, however, you should still not consume too much because it can increase cholesterol levels and gain weight due to its high sugar content.
12. Instant noodles
Can you eat instant noodles to lower cholesterol? The answer is not recommended because consuming instant noodles is high in calories, fat, and salt, instant noodles can increase blood triglyceride levels.
