Cholesterol is a waxy fat that is naturally produced by your liver and found in your blood. Cholesterol serves many different purposes in your body, but it can become a problem when there is too much of it in your blood.
Cholesterol is transported around your body by different carriers (lipoproteins). The two most common types are:
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is bad because if you have too much, it sticks to the walls of your arteries
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, also known as good cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is good because it removes bad cholesterol from your blood vessels.
High blood cholesterol levels are mostly caused by eating foods that are not part of a heart-healthy diet. By following a heart-healthy diet, you will naturally eat less unhealthy fats and more healthy fats.
So what foods should you avoid?
The number one food to avoid for healthy cholesterol levels is processed meat.
You should avoid processed meat for the following reasons:
1. The high saturated fat content of processed meat.
When it comes to lowering cholesterol levels, the main nutrient to limit is, surprisingly, not dietary cholesterol, but saturated fat. Depending on the product, processed meat is a common culprit for saturated fat intake. Processed meat is often fattier cuts of meat and is high in saturated fat. Foods high in saturated fat are notorious for causing high cholesterol and increasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
You may have noticed that bacon and salami contain saturated fat, and even seemingly healthy options like turkey bacon or low-fat cold cuts can contain saturated fat; they’re only slightly lower in fat than regular meat, but they still contribute to your total saturated fat intake for the day.
2. Negatively Affects Your Gut Microbiome
The composition of your gut microbiome is important for nearly every aspect of your health, including cholesterol control. Diets high in meat, especially processed meat, may reduce the diversity of gut bacteria. This is concerning, as a diverse microbiome plays an important role in regulating cholesterol absorption and excretion. A well-balanced microbiome may also help reduce chronic inflammation, a major contributor to heart disease.
3. It May Be High in Sodium
In addition to saturated fat, processed meats are often much higher in sodium than unprocessed meats. For example, a 100-gram serving of roasted turkey breast contains 99 milligrams of sodium, while the same serving of deli turkey provides a whopping 810 mg of sodium, and that’s before you add in the sodium from sandwiches, condiments, and other toppings.
Sodium and lots of sodium can be added to extend the shelf life of processed meats. While preserving meat was once important when people didn’t have freezers and refrigerators, it’s no longer necessary and can do more harm than good. While high sodium intake hasn’t been shown to raise cholesterol levels, a high-sodium diet can increase your risk of high blood pressure, which makes your heart work harder, negatively impacting your overall cardiovascular health.
What should you eat to maintain healthy cholesterol levels?
There are certain foods you can eat that can help improve your cholesterol levels and overall heart health, some suggestions include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Legumes
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds.
When you eat plant foods, you get more nutrients, heart-healthy fats, and fiber. All of these promote optimal heart health.
