Dietary cholesterol is a component of some foods that can cause the body's serum cholesterols to increase. The more cholesterol we eat in our diet, the higher risk we have of getting high cholesterol, which can lead to serious problems such as heart attacks. While you do not have to avoid foods with cholesterol altogether, it's a good idea to limit your cholesterol intake.
Dietary Versus Serum Cholesterol
There is an important distinction between dietary and serum cholesterol, which is sometimes confusing to consumers. Dietary cholesterol is cholesterol found in animal products we eat. Serum cholesterol is the amount of cholesterol in our bodies, which is affected by our body's natural ability to produce cholesterol and process the foods that we eat. There are limits to both how much cholesterol we should eat and what our body's cholesterol levels should be.
Total Cholesterol
According to the American Heart Association people who are not currently at risk for high cholesterol and are not taking medication for high cholesterol can safely consume up to 300mg of cholesterol in their diet each day. The American Heart Association recommends that people with high serum cholesterol levels limit their dietary cholesterol intake to 200mg a day. The recommended healthy limit for serum cholesterol is 200mg/dl, according to the Mayo Clinic.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol is a specific, unhealthy type of cholesterol. According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended limit for LDL cholesterol in a person's bloodstream is below 129mg/dl. They also recommend that people at risk of heart disease keep their LDL levels under 70mg/dl. There is no specific recommendation for how much LDL cholesterol a person should consume each day since nutrition labels only include the information for total cholesterol, not LDL cholesterol.
Foods
Foods with cholesterol and saturated fat increase serum cholesterol levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. The American Heart Association states that high-cholesterol foods include meats, dairy products and eggs. For example, one egg has 213mg of cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. They state that foods with no cholesterol that can decrease serum cholesterol levels include fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Risks
According to the Mayo Clinic, the risks associated with having a high level of cholesterol in your bloodstream include heart disease, heart attacks and even stroke. Though cholesterol can be harmful to your health, cholesterol can be decreased with the use of specific medications or by a change in diet and an increase in physical activity.
