Scientists have been studying the correlation between high cholesterol and heart disease for over a century. Cholesterol builds up in the bloodstream and accumulates inside blood vessels, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This accumulation injures arteries and prevents blood from flowing properly. A German chemist established a link between atherosclerosis and blood cholesterol in 1910, according to Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In the decades since, the American Heart Association has established guidelines designed to reduce blood cholesterol levels and prevent atherosclerosis.
Dietary Cholesterol
Animals, including humans, manufacture all the cholesterol they need in their livers. Only animal products, like meat, eggs and dairy, contain cholesterol. Foods that come from from plants, such as fruits and vegetables, do not. You do not need to consume any cholesterol for your body to function correctly. The American Heart Association guidelines suggest that a healthy person consume less than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol daily. A person with heart disease should aim for 200 mg or less each day.
Fat
The fat you eat is absorbed into the intestines, and then goes into the liver. The liver changes fat into cholesterol and triglycerides, which are fatty substances associated with blood cholesterol and heart disease. Fat supplies calories to your diet. The American Heart Association recommends that you obtain 25 to 35 percent of your daily intake of calories from fats.
Saturated Fat
Meats and butter, among other foods, contain saturated fat. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature, like the white flecks of fat in hamburger or the white strip along the side of a steak. No more than 7 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fat. Replace red meats with lean cuts to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Choose tub margarine with cholesterol-reducing plant stanols to lower your risk for heart disease.
Trans Fats
Trans fats are especially unhealthy. Commercially baked snack products often contain trans fats. Manufacturers use trans fats to extend shelf life and to give food a creamy texture. The American Heart Association says that no more than 1 percent of your calories should come from trans fats. Check the nutrition label on the back of commercially baked products to learn the trans fat content.
Levels
The American Heart Association also has guidelines set for blood cholesterol levels. A healthy total cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL or less. A person with cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL has twice the risk for heart disease as someone with a healthy level, according to the group.
