High blood cholesterol is a common lipid disorder, contributing to a host of cardiovascular diseases including heart attack, stroke and hypertension. Cholesterol, which is a waxy substance essential for cellular membranes and hormone production, is also found in the brain and nerve tissue. The body manufacturers cholesterol and it will occasionally manufacture more than necessary. The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute recommends that total blood cholesterol levels remain below 200, though less than 180 is preferred. Excessive cholesterol production, combined with excess unhealthy dietary fat, can cause blood cholesterol levels to rise to unhealthy levels.
Fats to Avoid
Dietary fats are one of the major contributors of elevated cholesterol levels. Specifically, saturated fats are to blame. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are mostly found in meat, dairy products and tropical oils.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to no more than seven percent of daily calories. Removing chicken skin and limiting red meat, especially if marbled, can reduce saturated fat intake. Choosing low-fat milk and dairy products is also recommended.
Limit Hydrogenated Oils
Partially hydrogenated oils, commonly referred to as trans fats, can raise total cholesterol levels. A trans fat is a chemically altered oil that typically starts as a liquid, for example, corn oil. The oil is then flooded with hydrogen atoms, chemically altering the structure and turning it into a solid saturated fat. This hydrogenated fat is inexpensive to produce and increases the shelf life of many boxed foods.
Because of the negative health effects of trans fats, food manufacturers are now required to include trans fat information on the product label. Trans fat is commonly found in margarine and shortening, supermarket baked goods and packaged cake mixes, frozen foods like pot pies and fruit pies, as well as donuts and cream-filled cookies.
Limit These Plant-based Oils
Tropical oils, also a common additive in boxed and pre-packaged foods, tend to have a negative effect on cholesterol. Common tropical oils include coconut, palm and palm kernel. Most plant oils are unsaturated but coconut oil is 92 percent saturated. Tropical oils are typically found in commercial cakes and cookies as well as salty snack foods. Any of the tropical oils will be included on the ingredient list, but the actual fat content related to tropical oils will likely show up in the "saturated fat" column of the food label.
Dietary Cholesterol isn't Really the Bad Guy
Cholesterol is found in animal products like eggs, shellfish and meats. Unlike saturated and trans fats, dietary cholesterol doesn't contribute significantly to elevated blood cholesterol. The caveat here is many foods that are high in cholesterol may also have significant saturated fat; rib eye steak is a good example with 153mg of cholesterol and 18.7g of saturated fat in an 8-oz. portion. This one piece of meat contains close to the daily limit for saturated fat intake. The same size portion of shrimp is high in cholesterol, with 344mg, but the saturated fat content is relatively low at only 3.8g. The better choice for those concerned with blood cholesterol levels would be the shrimp.
