Foods to Avoid if you have High Cholesterol

You do not have to be seriously ill to know that eating French fries, oily food, and sugary treats is not good for your health. Loaded with cholesterol, saturated fats, trans fat, and sodium, these yummy delights don’t just raise the cholesterol levels in the body, they also put you at risk of heart diseases. 

So, do yourself a favor and cross the following foods off your list of indulgences. Although, not permanently, mind you! There is nothing wrong in giving into your cravings every now and then. However, see to it that they don’t rule your dietary choices! On that note, let’s take a look at some foods you should definitely go easy on. 

Fried Chicken 

Whoever told you that fried chicken was a low fat meat choice wasn’t lying. However, he did forget to mention a few essential details. For instance, did you know that a chicken leg with the skin intact has more fat than a cup of your favorite ice cream? Or that when you proceed to fry this chicken leg in a load of oil, it immediately becomes a high cholesterol food item? Therefore, when buying chicken, opt for the skinless variety and consider having it roasted, grilled or boiled it. 

Rib-Eye Steak 

Not many people know that the 4-ounce rib-eye steak they are tucking into accounts for 22% of their daily allowance of cholesterol and 20% of saturated fat. Shocking figures, right? It’s a lot better for your heart if you switched to leaner cuts of meat, such as flank, tenderloin, rump, round, or tip steak. That way you won’t have to compromise on either taste or health.

Lobster 

Generally speaking, seafood is considered great for health, but the black sheep of the lot is lobster, especially for people who complain of high cholesterol or have heart disease. 3 ounces of lobster has more than 60 mg of cholesterol; and you haven’t even dipped it into melted butter yet! So, a word to the wise: when ordering seafood, go easy on the butter and choose broiled over fried preparations. 

Macaroni and Cheese 

Mac-and-cheese might be the ultimate American comfort food but when it comes to the health of your heart, they are among the least desirable options. Made from cheese, butter, and whole milk, the dish is positively oozing with cholesterol and saturated fats. However, you don’t have to bid a tearful farewell to this much loved dish just yet. Use evaporated milk and low fat cheese and butter to enjoy the healthier version of this snack. 

Cheeseburger 

You don’t need us to tell you that snacking on a double cheeseburger is far from healthy. McDonald’s Big Mac packs in 85 mg of cholesterol. When you throw in a shake and fries the cholesterol levels are bound to go up at alarming rate. Instead of a cheeseburger, try a plain burger instead. If that is too much of a sacrifice, maybe you should hold the shake and fries. It will do your body (and your heart) a whole lot of good.

However, for 2 out 3 people with cholesterol, diet may not be enough and a cholesterol-lowering medication such as generic Crestor tablets may also be necessary.