15 foods to avoid if you have high cholesterol

  Fifteen foods to avoid if you have high cholesterol 

The body needs cholesterol to produce hormones vitamin D and substances that help you digest food. your body will make enough of a cholesterol that needs to perform these functions, but some of the foods you eat can add to your cholesterol levels and too much, can lead to health issues.

 The American Heart Association recommends that adults 20 years of age and older have their cholesterol checked with a lipoprotein blood test every 4 to 6 years the following is a list of 15 of the foods to avoid if you have high cholesterol.

 1. Liver: Liver as a food that is high in iron. liver can be a healthy dish for some for others however liver can add to your levels of high cholesterol as this organ is the body's primary source of cholesterol and that is where the waxy substance is made and stored the highest concentrated levels of cholesterol in animals are found in organ meat.

2. Muffins: muffins can be a healthy breakfast choice but that can depend on how the muffin is made for example eating a low-fat bran muffin made with whole wheat flour can be beneficial to your health but muffins that we bake at home with whole milk and eggs and fill with extra treats like chocolate chips can have up to 8 grams of fat in one serving.

3. Margarine: Margarine once thought to be a healthy alternative to butter margarine can be just as loaded with cholesterol since margarine was made from unsaturated vegetable oils most people assumed it would be better for long-term health and butter it was known to contain a lot of cholesterol in saturated fat that assumption turned out to be wrong a research showed that some forms of margarine specifically the hard stick margarine was worse for the heart than butter this was because they contained large amounts of trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils.

4. Microwave popcorn; popcorn is a snack that can be either good and bad for your health depending on how you prepare it. microwave popcorn loaded with butter oil and salt is not a healthy choice these extras that are a normal part of the popcorn experience can add to your cholesterol levels however opting for an unsalted butter free bowl of popcorn is a good way to lower your cholesterol if you need a little something extra added to your popcorn spraying some olive oil and sprinkling Parmesan cheese over your snack.

5. Commercial baked goods: these snacks can be a delightful late-night treat a cupcake some cookies and a slice of cake can be hard to resist but those with high cholesterol need to stay away from these commercial baked goods as they can be filled with trans fats a result of the use of hydrogenated vegetable oils. 

6. Shellfish: while there are many health benefits to eating shellfish those with heart disease or high cholesterol should avoid these foods three ounces of lobster contains 61 milligrams of cholesterol and that doesn't include dipping it in melted butter.

7. Mac and cheese: whether you're a kid or an adult mac and cheese is one of favorite comfort foods however much we may love this gooey collection of cheeses and pasta often topped with bread crumbs and a little bacon the ingredients that make up this dish such as whole milk butter and cheese can be filled with saturated fats and cholesterol.

8. Hamburgers: another all-american favored summertime just wouldn't be the same without a burger the beef patty is so versatile that it can be loaded up with everything and anything including onions cheese and bacon when you're at work into need of a quick lunch running to a fast-food restaurant is an easy solution but you may want to think twice before heading to McDonald's as a Big Mac has 85 milligrams of cholesterol and a classic double with everything from Wendy's is loaded with 175 milligrams of cholesterol.

9. Fried chicken: it's golden crunchy deep-fried and an extremely popular dish while chicken is often a go-to menu item for people looking to chow down you might want to consider opting for a more heart healthy chicken dish fried chicken can be packed with more cholesterol than a hamburger.

10. French fries: Another American favored french fries are considered a high cholesterol food due to the presence of hydrogenated vegetable oils partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes food more stable and less likely to spoil it also converts the oil into a solid which makes transportation easier partially hydrogenated oils can also withstand repeated heating without breaking down making them ideal for finding fast foods foods made with partially hydrogenated oils can have large amounts of trans fats.

 

11. Cream cheese: It tastes great on a bagel or baked into a cake but cream cheese is another food high in cholesterol one ounce of cream cheese can contain 27 milligrams of cholesterol for ice cream this one might sting a little but ice cream isn't the best snack choice for those with high cholesterol one scoop of every kid's favorite frozen treat has more fat than a hamburger and more cholesterol than 10 glazed doughnuts.

12. Egg yolks: a popular breakfast food chicken eggs have a high cholesterol content while people with high cholesterol and heart disease we're once told they should avoid eggs eating four egg yolks or less on a weekly basis hasn't been found to increase a person's risk for heart disease moderation is the key with this food enjoy a scrambled egg for breakfast and watch your cholesterol intake for the rest of the day. 

13. Butter: It seems that almost everything we consume is made better with butter popcorn, toast, mashed potatoes, pancakes, the list can go on and on but if you're dealing with high cholesterol in heart disease you might want to swap out that cholesterol filled pad of butter for some vegetable oil instead.

 14. Red meat: Red meats like beef lamb and pork tend to contain more cholesterol and saturated fat than other meats this can contribute to an increase in your own cholesterol level and make already-existing heart disease worse healthy alternatives to red meat include vegetable proteins like beans chicken not fried and fish such as salmon which is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

15. King crab: King crab legs contain 71 mg of cholesterol per serving, lobster contains 61 mg per serving, and oysters contain 58 mg per serving.