Medical professionals link your risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and Alzheimer's to the foods you eat. Unhealthy food choices raise cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, accumulating along blood vessel walls, injuring arteries and prevent blood from flowing properly to vital organs of your body, such as your brain, kidneys and heart. More than 35 million American adults have cholesterol levels high enough to put them at risk for heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Identifying the worst things to eat for your high cholesterol is the first step in reducing your chance for heart disease and other illnesses.
Cholesterol
A diet featuring large amounts of dietary cholesterol and fat is the largest reason for high blood cholesterol. Animals produce cholesterol in their livers. Animal products such as meat, eggs, milk and cheese contain cholesterol. Limit your dietary cholesterol intake to 300 mg if you are healthy, and 200 mg each day if you have heart disease.
Fast Food
The typical food available at many fast food restaurants are exceptionally high in cholesterol and should be avoided someone trying to reduce his risk for heart disease. According to the McDonald's website, a big breakfast with hotcakes contains 575 mgs of cholesterol. Burger King's Ultimate Breakfast Platter provides 455 mg of cholesterol, according to Burger King's website. These items are also high in calories and sodium, which lead to obesity and high blood pressure, also risks for developing heart disease.
At Home
A very bad home-cooked meal for high cholesterol would include a double helping of beef hash fried in bacon grease, topped with three eggs fried in butter and two slices of cheese. One large egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. An ounce of feta cheese delivers 25 mg of cholesterol.
Trans Fats
Many commercially baked products such as snack cakes and cookies contain unhealthy trans fats. Food manufacturers use trans fats because they extend shelf life and give products a creamier texture. A person who gets more than 1 percent of his daily calories from trans fats has an increased risk for elevated cholesterol levels and heart disease.
Sweets
Food that makes you fat also raises your cholesterol. Foods excessively high in calories and low in nutrition contribute to weight gain. Obesity is a risk factor for high blood cholesterol levels, heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Snack foods also usually contain high levels of fat, trans fat and cholesterol.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: September is National Cholesterol Education Month
- McDonalds: McDonald's USA Nutrition Facts for Popular Menu Items
- Burger King: BURGER KING® USA Nutri&onals: Core, Regional and Limited Time Offerings, November 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22
