Low-density lipoprotein or LDL is commonly called the "bad" cholesterol. The body needs some, but Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center explains that too much tends to build up on blood vessel walls, leading to an increased risk of heart disease. The level of LDL in the blood should be below 130mg per deciliter of blood. One way to reduce LDL is by avoiding foods which contribute to it.
Meat, Fish and Eggs
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are the two main dietary contributors to high LDL. Saturated fat is primarily found in food products derived from animals, such as meat, dairy and eggs. Dietary cholesterol is found only in animal food products. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs explains that egg yolks, organ meats and shellfish are all high in cholesterol. To prevent or lower a high LDL level, limit or eliminate the consumption of eggs, organ meats and shellfish. A general guideline for eating meat is to choose lean cuts only. Instead of frying meat or fish, broil or grill it.
Meat, fish and eggs are great sources of protein, but the typical American diet contains more than is needed for health. Pick a day or two a week to go meat-free and limit your intake other days to no more than one meal per day to reduce your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.
Whole Fat Dairy
Another source of saturated fat is dairy products, including cheese. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs advises to consume only low-fat or skim dairy products. Skim, which is no-fat, is the better choice. If you usually drink whole milk, skim may taste watery at first, but taste buds quickly adapt. Start by substituting skim for whole milk on cereal and in baking. When drinking, try mixing half whole and half skim at first, then increase the skim milk until you are drinking only skim.
Finding a low- or no-fat hard cheese that tastes good by itself is not easy, but when using those cheeses in combination with other food, the difference in taste isn't as noticeable. Use the low- or no-fat variety when possible and reduce use of whole fat cheese. Low- or no-fat cottage cheese tastes very similar to the whole fat variety.
Trans Fats
The Mayo Clinic explains that trans fat is formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it solid. Trans fat both raises LDL and lowers HDL, the "good" cholesterol. Although use of trans fat by manufacturers has decreased, many commercial baked goods still contain it, as do shortenings and some margarines. Learn to translate label-speak. If a label says the food contains "partially hydrogenated" vegetable oil or shortening, the food contains trans fat. If a label lists "fully" or "completely" hydrogenated vegetable oil, it does not contain trans fat. If a label only says the food contains "hydrogenated" vegetable oil, then it may contain some trans fat.
