Foods to Limit if You Have High Cholesterol
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Often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, LDL is what most people have in mind when they talk about high cholesterol. Typically, elevated LDL will be a result of your diet and/or a genetic predisposition. While it is widely assumed that to lower blood cholesterol you must restrict or eliminate cholesterol-rich foods, that’s largely a myth.
“Saturated fat is the most common dietary factor that will increase LDL,” says Dr. Jaime Burkle, a top preventive cardiologist and Chair of Cardiology at Atria. “The big three categories of foods to limit are red meat, dairy, and fried foods.” For most people, dietary cholesterol (found in foods like eggs and shrimp) doesn’t affect the amount of LDL found in your blood; however, for genetic reasons, some people are super-absorbers who should avoid these foods. Getting tested can help you determine if you fall into this category.
Our experts recommend that the intake of saturated fats should account for fewer than 10% of calories from fats for people with high cholesterol.
“The big three categories of foods to limit are red meat, dairy, and fried foods.”
—Dr. Jaime Burkle
Foods high in saturated fats
Cooking oils
By contrast, 1 tbsp of olive oil has only 1.9 grams of saturated fat.
Food
Serving
Saturated fat
Coconut oil
1 tbsp
11.5 g
Ghee
1 tbsp
9 g
Palm oil
1 tbsp
7.3 g
Butter
1 tbsp
7.3 g
Beef tallow
1 tbsp
5.3 g
Lard
1 tbsp
5 g
Dairy
While dairy and especially yogurt can play an important role in a healthy diet, people with high cholesterol should opt for reduced-fat dairy options.
Food
Serving
Saturated fat
Whole milk
1 cup
7.9 g
Whole-milk yogurt
1 cup
7.4 g
Cheddar cheese
1 oz
5 g
Brie
1 oz
4.8 g
Whole-milk mozzarella
1 oz
3.7 g
Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp
3.3 g
Heavy cream
1 tbsp
2.6 g
Sour cream
2 tbsp
2.5 g
Ice cream
1/2 cup
2.4 g
Meats
Food
Serving
Saturated fat
Ribeye steak
3 oz
7.2 g
Ground beef
3 oz
5 g
Pork belly
3 oz
6.6 g
Pork chop
3 oz
4.2 g
Pork sausage
2 links
4.1 g
Hot dog
1 link
5.6 g
Bacon
2 slices
2.7 g
Lamb chop
3 oz
5.7 g
Fried chicken
1 leg
4.4 g
Sweets and snacks
Food
Serving
Saturated fat
Frosted cake
1 slice
8 g
Cheesecake
1 slice
8 g
Croissant
1 whole
7 g
Dark chocolate
1 oz
6.9 g
Potato chips
1 oz
3.1 g
Muffin
1 medium
3 g
Chocolate chip cookie
1 cookie
2.3 g
Brownie
1 brownie
1.8 g
Adhering to a Mediterranean diet—high in fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, and olive oil—is a proven method for keeping LDL numbers in check. In particular, adding high-fiber foods, such as oatmeal and legumes, is thought to be helpful for reducing the amount of cholesterol your body absorbs.
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