If you have high cholesterol, your doctor has probably recommended a heart-healthy diet. You may have been told to eat a low-fat, low cholesterol diet for your heart health. What this means is that there are different types of fats, and while some are good for you, others are harmful. If you have high cholesterol, or are trying to keep your cholesterol in a healthy range, it is important to avoid foods high in saturated or trans fats.
Types of Fats
Saturated and trans fats are the harmful types of fat. Saturated fat is the main type of fat that raises blood cholesterol. Your body actually makes all the saturated fat it needs, so it unnecessary to eat foods containing this kind of fat. You should also avoid trans fats as they raise blood cholesterol as well. Consuming foods high in cholesterol does affect cholesterol levels, but it appears to be less significant than the affect of saturated and trans fats.
Saturated Fats to Avoid
Saturated fat is found in animal fat. Fatty cuts of meat, the skin on poultry and full-fat dairy products are the main sources. If you have high cholesterol, limit your intake of red meat, since it contains the most saturated fat, and remove the skin on chicken and turkey. Also, avoid whole milk dairy products such as cheese and ice cream. Coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil are the few plant sources of saturated fat.
Trans Fats to Avoid
Foods high in trans fats to avoid when you have high cholesterol include margarine, pre-packaged baked goods, snack foods and other processed foods. Many restaurants and fast food chains use trans fats to fry their foods. Be cautious of ordering fried foods unless the restaurant states they use trans fat-free oils. It is ideal to avoid all trans fats, and at most, keep your intake under 2 g per day.
Good Fats
It is not necessary to try and follow an entirely fat-free diet if you have high cholesterol. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthy fats that you should include in your diet as they can actually improve blood cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive and canola oils, avocados, almonds and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats are found in corn, sunflower and flaxseed oils, walnuts and fish. Omega-3 fats are a type of polyunsaturated fat found in fish that is also beneficial to cholesterol levels.
