A Guide to Foods High in Cholesterol

Most of what we buy, cook, and eat are foods high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and calories. From processed goods to baked pastries, we may be unaware that we have exceeded our limited cholesterol intake.

Some food products have been known to be nutritious and good for our health, but there are always setbacks. 

Dairy products like milk, cheese, ice cream, and yogurt are foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat, but they are also sources of important nutrients. Fortunately, there are low-fat and nonfat dairy products available for people who do not want the extra cholesterol.

You can get cheeses that are fat-free, low fat, part skims, or reduced fat. Basically, choose cheese that has 3 grams or less of fat per ounce. If you want soft cheeses, try getting the low fat (one percent) or nonfat cottage cheese, farmer cheese, light ricotta, or part-skim. Additionally, watch out for cheese that has too much sodium in them.

The whole egg is not high in cholesterol. It is the yolk, which contains around 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. If you cannot avoid eating egg yolks, then at least limit your intake to two per week. The limit extends to the yolks in baked and processed goods. Before buying or eating these types of food, check their labels and see how much cholesterol it has or if it uses whole eggs.

By their names alone, you can tell that fats and oils pack cholesterol and calories. But that does not mean that they are completely bad for your health. With substitutes and a limit to the total fats and oil intake, you can continue to enjoy your meals.

There are vegetable oils you can use instead of those full of unsaturated fats. Choose canola, sunflower, corn, soybean, olive, sesame, peanut, and safflower oils instead. For margarine, go for the soft tub or the liquid kind. Salad dressings and mayonnaise also come in light or nonfat kinds.

Minimize using butter, fatback, lard, and solid shortenings because these are high in fat and cholesterol.

Even though most of what we eat are foods high in cholesterol, it does not necessarily mean that we have to drastically change our diet. We can continue to enjoy our meals, but we do have to be careful and vigilant of what we take in. The labels on the containers of the food you buy are there for a reason. Check them and see if you are going to be eating too many calories, fat, or cholesterol. You do not have to avoid them, but you can eat them in moderation.