Cholesterol is a substance that is found in fats, or lipids, in your body. At normal levels, cholesterol functions to help produce healthy cells, but in high levels it can deposit on blood vessels and decrease blood flow to critical organs such as the heart and brain. Cholesterol is made by your body but can also be found in a variety of foods. If you have high cholesterol, these foods should be avoided to lower your cholesterol and decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Meat
Red meat such as bacon, sausage or steak and organ meats such as liver and kidney contain high levels of cholesterol. In particular, these meats are rich in both cholesterol and saturated fat. As the American Academy of Family Physicians states, saturated fat can be directly turned into cholesterol by your body, further increasing your dietary intake of cholesterol. Lean cuts of meat such as chicken or pork with the fat trimmed away are choices that are lower in both cholesterol and saturated fat. Fish are a particularly good meat substitute because they contain omega-3 fatty acids that lower the risk of heart disease.
High-Fat Dairy
Whole milk, butter, cream and foods cooked in butter contain high levels of cholesterol, and butter also contains saturated fat. Low-fat dairy products such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt can be beneficial, however, because they contain very little cholesterol and promote weight loss. Substituting skim milk for whole milk can help to lower your cholesterol as can substituting healthier oils for butter. Monounsaturated fats, which are found in olive oil and canola oil, do not raise your cholesterol. Margarine, on the other hand, is a poor substitute for butter because it contains trans fats which are easily converted into cholesterol.
Processed Foods
Highly processed foods such as white bread, potato chips, cookies and cakes are typically high in simple carbohydrates which are easily converted to cholesterol by your body. Additionally, these foods often contain high levels of saturated and trans fat. Whole grain breads and fresh fruits and vegetables are better choices if you are concerned about dietary sources of cholesterol because these foods contain very little cholesterol and are not easily converted to cholesterol.
Eggs
Eggs, particularly egg yolks, are rich in cholesterol. Utilizing egg substitutes for baking or just eating the egg white rather than the entire egg can decrease your dietary intake of cholesterol.
