4 Common Foods That Could Be Making Your High Cholesterol Worse

Foods high in saturated fat can be the biggest culprits for raising cholesterol. If not eaten in moderation, they may clog your blood vessels, leading to heart disease and stroke.

Jump to Key Takeaways.

1. Fried Foods

Fried foods are high in saturated fats and cholesterol.

If you have high cholesterol, avoid foods fried with the following fats and oils:

• Beef tallow
• Coconut oil
• Lard
• Palm oil
• Corn oil
• Peanut oil
• Partially hydrogenated oils (the primary source of unhealthy trans fats in food)
• Vegetable shortening

2. Fatty Meats

Meat is another source of cholesterol, but not all meat products carry the same risk.

Examples of foods that can increase your cholesterol are:

• Beef
• Lamb
• Pork (with skin on)
• Poultry (with skin on)
• Processed meats (e.g., hot dogs, cold cuts, bacon, sausage)

If you want to lower the cholesterol levels in your meats, make choices like:

• Grill or broil instead of deep- or pan-frying
• Choose white meat over red meat
• Opt for lean cuts of meat
• Trim away visible fat
• Drain fats before serving
• Remove skin from foods like chicken before cooking

3. Full-Fat Dairy Products

Meats are not the only animal-based food that can increase cholesterol levels. Animal-based dairy products that can have high levels of saturated fats include:

To reduce cholesterol intake, limit your intake of full-fat products to a moderate amount and switch to nonfat (skim) milk instead of whole milk.

4. Sweets and Desserts

Many sweets, such as desserts, contain butter or oils rich in saturated fats.

Prepackaged treats are difficult to modify, but if you bake at home, you can take the following steps to reduce the cholesterol content of your desserts:

• Choose fresh fruit over “heavy-syrup” canned fruit.
• Reduce the amount of sugar or use sugar substitutes in your recipes.
• Substitute butter with healthy oils, bananas, pumpkin, or applesauce.
• Use whole wheat flour.

Tips for a Heart-Healthy Diet

Specific food choices can help lower your cholesterol, including the following:

• Read your nutrition labels to know the saturated fat content in your food.
• Limit your saturated fat to 7% or less of your daily calories, or 13g saturated fat for a 2,000-calorie diet.
• Increase your fiber intake to at least 25 grams (g) for women and 38 g for men daily.
• Use the plate method with 1/2 of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, 1/4 with whole grains, and 1/4 with lean protein.
• Prioritize lean proteins like poultry, fatty fish (ex., salmon), and plant-based proteins (ex., beans) over red and processed meats.
• Avoid excess added sugar—no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar daily for women, and no more than 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men.
• Avoid or limit alcohol to two or fewer drinks a day for men, one or fewer drinks a day for women.
• Stay hydrated with 9 cups of fluid daily for women and 13 cups for men.
• Snack wisely on fiber-rich fruit and nuts, like almonds.

Key Takeaways

• Foods contributing to high cholesterol levels can fall into four primary groups: fried foods, fatty meat, full-fat dairy, and sweets.
• Consuming more fiber-rich foods can help improve your cholesterol.
• Talk to a healthcare provider or RD/RDN about your diet and what else can help you reach your health goals.