High-Cholesterol Foods To Avoid

High-Cholesterol Foods To Avoid

High cholesterol is a term used to describe a person's total amount of cholesterol in their blood. This can be measured by an HDL score, which is calculated by taking the HDL cholesterol out of the total cholesterol and triglycerides and dividing it by the total number of particles. The higher the score, the better.

Most people have some level of LDL and HDL cholesterol in their bodies, but high levels of LDL and/or low levels of HDL can cause serious health problems, including heart disease. High cholesterol levels are related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD includes:

  • Coronary heart disease (CHD)
  • Stroke
  • Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
  • Other conditions that affect your arteries or blood vessels

In fact, excess LDL cholesterol is a major cause of CVD. While many factors contribute to high blood cholesterol levels, including genetics and diet, research shows that changes in lifestyle habits may help you lower your risk for CVD.

For those of you who are looking to reduce your cholesterol, here are some foods that you should avoid.

Fried Food

Fried food may not be the answer if you're looking for a way to reduce cholesterol. Fried foods high in fat and cholesterol, such as french fries, chips, and fried chicken, tend to be more unhealthy than other types of food. Researchers have found that when people add extra oil to their meals, they tend to eat more food overall.

Refined Sugar

First, it's essential to understand that refined sugar is not the same as natural sugar. Refined sugar has been processed in a way that removes most of the nutrients and fiber found in unrefined sugar. It's often called "white" sugar because it has been stripped of nutrients.

Second, refined sugar is addictive—and can cause health problems if you consume too much of it over time. In addition to raising your cholesterol levels, refined sugar can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

Refined sugars are usually found in things like white bread and pasta, so it's best to avoid them as much as possible.

High-fat Dairy Products

High-fat dairy products include cheese and cream products (such as cream cheese), butter, and full-fat yogurt. These foods contain saturated fat and cholesterol, which could lead to high cholesterol levels in the body and increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health problems.

Trans Fats

Trans fats are found primarily in processed foods like pizza dough, French fries, doughnuts, pastries, cookies, cakes, etc. They're also in some margarine and fast foods! It's important not to consume trans fats because they increase the risk of heart disease by lowering HDL cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, which leads to plaque buildup on arteries leading to heart attacks & strokes.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults over 20 must check their cholesterol levels every 4 to 6 years if they're at low risk. If you're suffering from cholesterol, visit Springfield Medical Clinic to get yourself checked and treated.