Despite its bad reputation, cholesterol is vital to the human body, helping to form the membrane of every cell. The waxy, fat-like substance is also instrumental in the formation of certain hormones. The liver produces all the cholesterol the body needs, but we get additional cholesterol from dietary sources. Saturated fat intake also raises blood cholesterol. Since having too much cholesterol in the bloodstream increases the risk of coronary artery disease, the American Heart Association recommends limiting daily cholesterol intake to no more than 300 milligrams. Cholesterol is present in foods derived from animals, but not in those that come from plants.
Eggs
Egg yolks might be the first food you think of when you hear the word cholesterol. A large egg has about 213 milligrams of cholesterol, all of it in the yolk. The white of an egg is heart-healthy and a good source of protein. If you are trying to limit cholesterol but a recipe you are cooking calls for an egg, use, instead, two egg whites.
Beef
Beef contains about 80 mg of cholesterol per 100-gram serving. That amount is fairly constant regardless of the cut of meat. The amount of saturated fat, however, can vary. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, fish or seafood per day if you are eating a 2,000-calorie diet. Leaner cuts include the round, sirloin, chuck and loin.
Poultry
Roast chicken has about 100 mg of cholesterol per 100-gram serving; roast turkey is a bit lower at about 80 mg. They're both substantially lower in cholesterol than roast duck, which has 160 mg of the substance per 100 grams. For a healthier dish, remove the skin before cooking because it is high in fat.
Fish
Fish can be an excellent choice for a heart-healthy diet, and the American Heart Association recommends eating seafood twice a week while going easy on other meats. The level of cholesterol, however, varies widely depending on the type of fish. Steamed cod, for example, contains 40 mg of cholesterol per 100-gram serving, while the same amount of steamed whiting has 100 mg, and boiled prawns pack 170 mg. Generally speaking, seafood is low in saturated fat, particularly when boiled or steamed rather than fried.
Milk
The cholesterol content of different types of milk varies greatly. An average 30-gram serving of condensed whole milk contains about 12 mg of cholesterol, while an equal serving of condensed skim milk has only 1 mg. Other dairy products run the gamut, too. A 25-gram serving of cheddar cheese has about 17 mg of cholesterol, while 200 grams of yogurt contains only 5 mg. When cooking, you often can substitute 1 percent milk or skim milk for whole milk or half-and-half.
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