Top 10 Most Common Cholesterol High Foods To Avoid
The tastier the food gets, the higher its chances of being high cholesterol food. This is one of the greatest ironies in life!
Cholesterol is fat that is mainly found in meat products and is necessary for the proper functioning of our hormones and cell membranes. Our bodies have been programmed to manufacture the cholesterol we need and it is not necessary to consume more. Excessive consumption of cholesterol leads to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you have just found out that you have high cholesterol and must reduce its level, then the first things you should be aware of are the foods that are high in cholesterol. By avoiding these cholesterol high foods you will not miss anything except their taste, which can be certainly substituted with something similar for your better health.
The daily recommended allowance for cholesterol consumption is 200mg. Here is a list of high cholesterol food that you should be aware of:
Egg Yolk: research shows that egg yolk has the largest amount of cholesterol than any other food with an average of 1234mg/100 gram. This means that a single egg yolk will give you 210mg of cholesterol, more than the recommended daily consumption. It may be helpful to know that it is not the egg white but the egg yolk that contributes to this.
Caviar: caviar is extremely popular among people in Northern and Eastern Europe as it comes in most of the popular bread spreads. A 100 gram serving of this cholesterol-filled food provides 588mg of cholesterol which is way more than the recommended daily amount.
Liver, Foie Gras, Pate: our liver produces the cholesterol necessary for our bodies and it comes as no surprise that the excessive consumption of liver can increase your cholesterol levels. The liver of almost any meat will contain around 564mg of cholesterol with every 100 gram. Foie Gras and Pate contain a minimum of 255mg/100 gram.
Butter: butter is greatly used in cookies, cakes, bread and vegetables. In fact, you can find butter in most of your cooking recipes. It contains a staggering 215mg of cholesterol/100 gram, which may frighten you when you realise how much you use it.
Prawns and Shrimp: a delicious shrimp platter contains approximately 195mg of cholesterol per serving. This is similar with prawns too.
Fish oil: fish has always been seen as a healthy alternative to red meat. Yet oil packed fish and the oil of fish itself contain a bit of extra cholesterol that can do a lot of harm. For example, Atlantic sardines carry 143mg of cholesterol/100 gram.
Cheese: a good source of calcium and protein, cheese is a tasty addition to almost all dishes. However, most cheeses contain around above 120mg/100 gram of cholesterol. This applies to all types whether it is Port de Salut, Fontina, Gouda, Cream Cheese, Cheddar or Gruyere.
Processed meat: a large amount of our cholesterol intake is contributed to by processed meat. This depends upon the cut used and the total amount of fat included for processing. Bratwurst and liver sausages contain around 159mg/100 gram while duck and lamb also have high levels.
Shellfish: though Mussels, Clams and Oysters may seem relishing, they contain high levels of cholesterol up to 110mg/100 grams.
Fast food breakfast: fast food breakfast is packed with cholesterol as it often comprises egg, ham, sausages and cheese biscuits. This can be a dangerous breakfast as noted by the scary amounts of cholesterol above.
A healthy diet avoiding high cholesterol foods will surely lead to a lower cholesterol level and a healthier you. Be sure to avoid the food in the list above if you suffer from high cholesterol.
