{"id":12598,"date":"2021-11-18T09:33:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T16:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/?p=12598"},"modified":"2021-11-12T14:03:42","modified_gmt":"2021-11-12T21:03:42","slug":"high-cholesterol-what-to-eat-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/high-cholesterol-what-to-eat-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"High Cholesterol: What to Eat & Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”17px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_line_height=”1.8em”]Cholesterol, although it doesn\u2019t have the best reputation, is a substance in the body that helps produce hormones, vitamin D, and digest foods. Our bodies naturally produce cholesterol, and a nutritious diet helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. There\u2019re two types of cholesterol: LDL (low-density lipoproteins) and HDL (high-density lipoproteins). LDL is known as the \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol where plaque builds up in the arteries which lead to heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. HDL is the \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol that helps dispose of the LDL cholesterol through the liver. Depending on our diet, we most likely consume foods rich in both of these cholesterols on a daily basis.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”17px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_line_height=”1.8em”]

It\u2019s important to recognize that not all high cholesterol foods are bad. For example, eggs are one of the most nutritious foods full of B vitamins, selenium, and vitamin A. Yet one egg contains nearly 211mg of cholesterol, or 70% of our recommended daily intake (RDI) (healthline.com). Organ and red meat are also high in cholesterol, but they\u2019re rich in iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 which are all essential nutrients. So, indulging in these foods every now and then isn\u2019t the end of the world, just make sure everything\u2019s consumed in moderation. I\u2019ve created a list below of healthy foods to lower cholesterol, and not so healthy cholesterol rich foods to look out for.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ header_text_color=”#8300E9″ header_3_text_color=”#8300E9″]

Foods to Lower Cholesterol:<\/strong><\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”17px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]

1. Oats<\/strong>
Swapping out eggs for oatmeal in the morning not only helps lower cholesterol levels but also provides a good source of fiber. Consuming more fiber, especially soluble fiber, can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Try adding some fresh fruit such as berries for extra flavor and vitamins.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”17px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]

2. Beans<\/strong>
Beans are rich in protein and soluble fiber while containing no cholesterol. Beans are such a versatile food group that you can spice up to your liking, whether it be black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, etc.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”17px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]

    \n
  1. Nuts<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Nuts, particularly almonds and walnuts, are heart-healthy snacks that helps lower your risk of high cholesterol. They\u2019re full of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and phytosterols which help block LDL cholesterol from being absorbed. The FDA recommends eating 1.5 ounces of nuts (about a handful) per day.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ color=”#8300E9″ divider_weight=”2px”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ header_text_color=”#8300E9″ header_3_text_color=”#8300E9″]

    Foods to Avoid:<\/strong><\/h3>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”17px” text_line_height=”1.8em” min_height=”115px” custom_margin=”-14px|||||”]

    1. Fried Foods<\/strong>
    As delicious as they taste, fried foods such as fried meats and cheese are full of cholesterol and trans fats. These foods are not only linked to high cholesterol, but also heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”17px” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”15px|||||”]

    \u00a02. Processed Meats<\/strong>
    Processed meats, such as hot dogs and bacon, are not only full of cholesterol but various chemicals harmful to our health. Numerous studies from the National Institute of Health have discovered a link between the consumption of processed meats and chronic diseases.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”17px” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”15px|||||”]

    3. Desserts<\/strong>
    I\u2019m guilty of having a sweet tooth myself, but indulging in cookies, cakes, and ice cream on a regular basis isn\u2019t the best for our health. Not only do sweets tend to be high in cholesterol, but they\u2019re also full of added sugars and fats which can lead to weight gain.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” color=”#8300E9″ divider_style=”double” divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”3px” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”17px” text_line_height=”1.8em” custom_padding=”15px|||||”]

    Sources:<\/b>\n\nArnarson, A. (2017, June 4). Why Processed Meat is Bad for You. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/why-processed-meat-is-bad<\/span>\n\nHarvard Health Publishing. (2019, February 6). 11 foods that lower cholesterol. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/heart-health\/11-foods-that-lower-cholesterol<\/span>\n\nJennings, K. (2018, October 26). 13 Cholesterol-Lowering Foods to Add to Your Diet Today. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/13-foods-that-lower-cholesterol-levels<\/span>\n\nKubala, J. (2018, September 10). 11 High-Cholesterol Foods – Which to Eat, Which to Avoid. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/high-cholesterol-foods<\/span>\n\nRobinson, J. (2018, November 12). Foods to Buy or Avoid If You Have Low or High HDL. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/cholesterol-management\/heart-health-foods-to-buy-foods-to-avoid<\/span>\n\n

    Wexler, A. (2018, November 21). High-cholesterol foods: Foods to avoid and include. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/317332<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I\u2019m guilty of having a sweet tooth myself, but indulging in cookies, cakes, and ice cream on a regular basis isn\u2019t the best for our health. Not only do sweets tend to be high in cholesterol, but they\u2019re also full of added sugars and fats which can lead to weight gain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":12611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"High Cholesterol: What to Eat & Avoid Cholesterol, although it doesn\u2019t have the best reputation, is a substance in the body that helps produce hormones, vitamin D, and digest foods. ","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/GFM-Cholesterol.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3hcyF-3hc","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12598"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12598"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14213,"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12598\/revisions\/14213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dianagregory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}