Cholesterol is a substance needed by the body for cellular health. Cholesterol is normally produced in the liver, however, foods that contain meat also contain cholesterol. This includes poultry, all meats and even egg yolk. If you've been told that your LDL cholesterol level is high, it may be time to decrease the level of cholesterol you eat and cut out certain foods completely.
Organ Meat
Organ meats such as liver and brain contain high amounts of cholesterol. According to Diet Bites, the average recommended intake of cholesterol for an adult should be no more than 300mg a day. The human liver produces about 1000mg, which is enough to promote healthy cell functioning. A serving size of 3 oz. of chicken liver contains 536mg of cholesterol and 3 oz. of turkey liver contains 532mg of cholesterol. The most cholesterol is contained in animal brains, just 3 oz. of pork brain contains 1866mg of cholesterol.
Egg Yolks
People with high cholesterol are often told to do away with eggs to prevent cholesterol levels from getting any higher. However, the cholesterol in the egg is not found throughout the whole egg but the yolk only. According MayoClinic.com, one large chicken egg contains 213mg. For a healthy individual, this amount of cholesterol is fine, but people who have cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high levels low-density lipoprotein (LDL) should have no more than 200mg a day. If eating eggs whole, monitor other sources of cholesterol such as meat and high-fat dairy products.
Beef
Beef contains protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins, which are all essential to tissue health, muscle growth, red blood cell production, and wound healing. It also contains antioxidants needed for cellular health and protection from free radicals. However, beef also contains a large amount of saturated fat and cholesterol. Different cuts of beef contain different amounts of fat; for instance, a 4 oz. portion of beef hot dogs may contain up to 14g of saturated fat and 70g of cholesterol whereas a 4 oz. serving of pastrami contains 12g of saturated fat and 106g of cholesterol. Purchasing lean cuts of beef, blotting cooked ground beef with paper towels after draining and then running hot water over the meat will all greatly reduce the amount of cholesterol contained in the meat.
