What Foods Are Bad for High Cholesterol Levels

What Foods Are Bad for High Cholesterol Levels

It is essential to control our cholesterol intake to ensure that we do not exceed the thresholds of normal cholesterol levels. Our diet is one of the main factors in the rise and fall of good cholesterol and bad cholesterol levels. This second form of cholesterol, that of low intensity (LDL), is the one which we must monitor closely and reduce if it becomes too high as it can lead to a hypercholesterolemia, which can cause a cardiovascular disease like a heart attack and a stroke. In this OneHowTo article we explain in more detail what foods are bad for high cholesterol levels.

Steps to follow:
1

One of the most harmful food groups for cholesterol are animal fats: Steaks, lamb, bacon, hamburgers, pork, etc., all contain harmful fats. And so, people prone to high cholesterol or sufferers of hypercholesterolemia should avoid eating these products altogether and eat lean protein like skinless chicken and turkey breast.

2

One item of food popularly known as the enemy of cholesterol are eggs. In fact, the yolk is the part that is high in cholesterol, so opt for an egg white omelette instead.

3

Shellfish is another food group which causes high increases in cholesterol levels and are therefore harmful to people suffering from hypercholesterolemia. We must replace this food with other products to increase good cholesterol in the diet.

4

The consumption of game meats also make cholesterol levels sky rocket. Therefore, avoid meats such as wild boar, partridge, deer, etc. and switch to recommended white meats and main meals based on whole grain foods instead.

5

Likewise, sausages and other processed meat products are very good at raising cholesterol. We should remove these products from our daily diet and make only very occasional use of them. These include all dried, preserved meats, as well as hamburgers, hotdogs and other processed meats. These also have a high salt content, which is very dangerous to those with high cholesterol.

6

Butter and margarine can also add to your cholesterol problems, so cook with a teaspoonful of oil instead.

However, we should also avoid fried foods i.e. all foods cooked with plenty of oil in the pan or fryer. In the Mediterranean area there is a long tradition tapas based fried foods, such as calamari, fried fish, french fries, etc. and whose consumption should be avoided.

7

For their high fat content foods prepared with bacon or lard should not be eaten, these must be removed from the diet of people with hypercholesterolemia.

8

Bakery products are one of the worse foods that are bad for high cholesterol due to their abundance of saturated fat like butter or lard. These types of sweets should not be part of the diet of those who have high cholesterol.

9

Any form of fast food should also be forbidden in a diet that aims to lower cholesterol levels, so food like oily pizza, tacos, chicken wings or onion rings are totally forbidden, due precisely to the high level of oil and fat in them.

Dressings like mayonaise or very cheesy dressings are also off the picture.

10

However, you can opt for many other foods that will be beneficial to lower cholesterol and you should also follow healthy habits. And so, do not miss out on our articles:

  • Foods that increase good cholesterol
  • What is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol
  • What are normal cholesterol levels

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What Foods Are Bad for High Cholesterol Levels, we recommend you visit our Family health category.