The Harvard School of Public Health reports that the type of fats you consume will have a much greater effect on your cholesterol than will the dietary cholesterol in foods. The Mayo Clinic reports that trans fat will both lower your good cholesterol and raise your bad cholesterol. Those authorities say to avoid foods with trans fat and foods that are prepared in partially hydrogenated oil, which is a source of trans fatty acids.
Stick Margarine
Stick margarine is a food to avoid if you want to lower your cholesterol. Stick margarine has 3 grams of trans fat per tbsp. The American Heart Association believes that butter may actually be a more healthful choice than stick margarine because it is so rich in trans fatty acids.
Columbia University notes that many soft-tub margarine products are made without trans fat and do not have the saturated fat or dietary cholesterol content that butter has. In this case, soft-tub margarine is a better choice than butter. The university suggests staying clear of stick margarine and buying soft-tub margarine that has no trans fat and less than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.
Fast Food
Eliminating fast food from your diet might lower your cholesterol more than any other dietary change. This is because most fast food is high in trans fat. The website aCalorieCounter.com, which lets you search U.S. Department of Agriculture food nutrition facts, says fast foods like onion rings, milkshakes, french fries, fried chicken strips and baked pies are routinely over 4 grams of trans fat. This is significant because the American Heart Association suggests you consume no more than 1 percent of your calories from trans fatty acids. For most people 2 grams of trans fat per day is the limit.
Some fast food chains have significantly reduced or eliminated their use of trans fatty acids for cooking. According to the University of Minnesota, Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's all significantly reduced the amount of saturated and trans fatty acids they cook with. Still, many fast food stores cook their meals in margarine and partially hydrogenated oil, so check their nutritional information to be sure the meals are free of trans fatty acids.
Fatty Cuts of Meat
Although they are not necessarily high in trans fatty acids, cuts of meat like prime rib and chopped liver are high in saturated fat and can raise your cholesterol. Ruby Cox, professor emeritus of human nutrition at Virginia Tech University, reports red meats like beef and lamb contain high amounts of saturated fat. Processed meats like bologna, hot dogs and sausages also have high amounts of saturated fat and can have trans fat because they are preserved. Cox suggests substituting chicken breast and fish for fatty cuts of meat and opting to bake or grill them instead of frying.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol
- Science Daily: Fast Food Chain Have Significantly Reduced Trans Fats in Cooking Oils, Study Finds
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- Mayo Clinic: Trans fat is double trouble for heart health
- Healthcastle.com: "Butter or Margarine - Which One is Better For My Health?"
