Cholesterol is a fatty substance or a type of lipid that plays a vital role in human health. Many people think that cholesterol only means a harmful substance, but this belief isn’t right all the time. As with anything in our diet and our life, cholesterol has its harms and benefits. Cholesterol is essential for cell functions and structure, enter in the synthesis of bile acids, represents a precursor for many necessary substances, such as vitamin-D, steroid hormones (cortisol), and sex hormones (as testosterone). On the other side, when the cholesterol level becomes higher than its normal range, it put the people at risk of many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases.
Cholesterol in your body may be endogenous or exogenous. The liver synthesizes your body needs from cholesterol, but also, cholesterol exists in many foods that are common in our diets, such as meat, eggs, and cheese. These foods may elevate the cholesterol level above the normal range, which puts you at a higher risk of some diseases.
Cholesterol is fat, and the fats are insoluble substances; thus, it can’t move alone through the blood. We have compounds called lipoproteins, which are proteins attached to lipids and enable them to move through the blood. We have two main Lipoproteins that carry cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and Low-density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL is good cholesterol because it takes cholesterol from the body parts to the liver, and the liver excretes it from your body. LDL is bad cholesterol because it travels with cholesterol from your liver to other body parts, which may lead to plaque formation in your vessel and raises the risk of atherosclerosis. In the treatment of high cholesterol, we try to lower the level of LDL.
High cholesterol is a manageable risk factor of atherosclerosis that may lead to diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease.
The balance between HDL and LDL is under the control of genes, but other causes and risk factors may affect this balance. The most common and important cause of high cholesterol levels is an unhealthy lifestyle. Also, lifestyle modification is the center of the management of high cholesterol.
The unhealthy lifestyle includes an unhealthy diet, which contains a high amount of bad fats (saturated and trans fats). These fats present in foods, such as fried and processed foods, some meats, and chocolate. These foods may elevate the level of bad cholesterol (LDL).
Also, lack of physical activity, overweight, and obesity, elevate the LDL level. Smokers are at high risk of hypercholesterolemia and its complications because smoking lowers the good cholesterol (HDL) and raises the harmful type (LDL). High cholesterol may be genetic in some people (familial hypercholesterolemia). But also, it may be due to other conditions, such as hypothyroidism, liver and kidney disease, pregnancy, polycystic ovary, and diabetes. Also, some medications may elevate the LDL level and lower the HDL, such as corticosteroids and progestins.
High cholesterol is more common in the elderly than in children and teens, and its effect is higher on the elderly.
High cholesterol doesn’t cause specific symptoms, but regular screening is necessary to detect cases of high cholesterol early. Early detection allows managing the cholesterol levels before it causes complications. Undetected high cholesterol may lead to a heart attack without warning signs.
To keep our cholesterol within the healthy range, we should know the foods that contain high cholesterol or may elevate its harmful type. Also, we should know the healthy range of cholesterol and the recommended schedule for screening.
We should know how to prevent high cholesterol and how to manage it if it is high.
We will focus here on foods high in cholesterol.
Before the discussion, you should know that the recommended daily intake (RDI) of cholesterol for the average healthy individual is about 300mg daily, and the saturated fats should provide less than 7% of the recommended daily calorie intake (2000 calories for women and 2500 calories for men).
Foods high in cholesterol:
Foods that contain cholesterol aren’t unhealthy all the time, but we have healthy and unhealthy foods contain cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol doesn’t represent a problem because the liver can handle it by lowering its production. The problem is with saturated and trans fats that affect the way that the liver manages cholesterol by and raises the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) over the good cholesterol (HDL).
(A) Cholesterol-rich healthy foods
These foods contain cholesterol, but they don’t rich in saturated and trans fats.
1. Eggs
Eggs are a popular food, and it is one of the most highly beneficial, nutritious, and advisable foods. Eggs are rich in proteins, and it is an efficient supplier of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin-B, vitamin-A, vitamin-K, selenium, calcium, and zinc. Besides this high value, eggs are also rich in cholesterol. One large egg provides about 240mg cholesterol, which represents about 70% of the recommended daily intake (RDI). Many people have wrong beliefs about the cholesterol of eggs that may drive some people to avoid eggs and lose their high nutritional value. The scientific research has denied these false beliefs about eggs and showed that eating a whole egg can raise the level of good cholesterol (HDL). Three eggs daily are safe and useful for healthy individuals.
2. Organ meat (offal)
Organ meat is the meat of animal organs, such as the liver, heart, kidneys, and brain. These meats are highly nutritious; it is a rich source of protein, vitamins (B12. B6, B3, and A), iron, selenium, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Organ meats are also rich in cholesterol; 56 grams provide 105mg cholesterol, which represents 36% of the recommended daily intake (RDI). Moderate intake of this meat is useful and protective. Limit the intake only if your doctor advised you because some conditions as pregnancy may require to avoid liver meat.
3. Pasture-raised steak
Pasture-raised steak is supplied by proteins and other essential nutrients, such as iron, zinc, and vitamin-B12. It contains less fat and cholesterol than feedlot beef, and also it is rich in omega-3 fatty acid that has an anti-inflammatory effect. About 112 grams provide about 60mg cholesterol, which represents about 20% of the recommended daily intake.
4. Cheese
We have several types of cheese, which vary in nutritional components and value. Cheese is a good source of proteins, calcium, vitamin-B complex, and vitamin-A. Cheese also rich in cholesterol; One-ounce (28 grams) provides 27mg cholesterol, which represents about 9% of the recommended daily intake (RDI). It is rich in cholesterol, but it doesn’t affect the cholesterol level in a harmful way. According to a clinical study, a high intake of full-fat cheese (3 ounces or 80 grams daily) doesn’t elevate the level of LDL (bad cholesterol). This study compared full-fat cheese to the same amount of low-fat cheese and equal calories from jam and bread.
5. Yogurt
Yogurt is one of the healthiest foods; it is rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin-B. It also improves the health of your immune, cardiovascular, and digestive systems. It is one of the fermented dairy products, which promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. Besides these values, full-fat yogurt is rich in cholesterol; one cup (or 245gm) can supply 31 mg cholesterol (or 11% of the RDI). Scientific research found that full-fat fermented dairy products (such as full-fat yogurt) reduce the LDL (bad cholesterol), blood pressure, and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, strokes, and diabetes.
6. Shellfish (oysters)
Such as shrimps, are a highly nutritious food, and it is very rich in essential nutrients, such as iron, selenium, vitamin-B, and proteins. Shellfish is also rich in cholesterol; one cup (or 128 grams) of canned shrimp provides about 320mg cholesterol, which exceeds the recommended daily intake by about 8%.
It also contains the amino acid taurine and carotenoid antioxidants, which are bioactive compounds that reduce the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and protect against cardiovascular diseases. High consumption of seafood reduces the risk of chronic diseases as diabetes, heart diseases, and arthritis (joint inflammation).
7. Sardine
It is delicious and nutritious food. This tiny fish is an excellent source of a lot of nutrients, such as iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium. It is also rich in vitamin-B12 (provides about 137 of the recommended daily intake). Also, it supplies a significant amount of vitamin-D (63% of the RDI) and calcium (35% of the RDI), which are essential for bone health.
Sardines also are rich in cholesterol; we can get 131mg cholesterol (45% of the RDI) from 92 grams (or 4 ounces).
Besides these healthy and nutritious foods, we have other cholesterol-rich foods, which are unhealthy and rich in saturated and trans fats that disrupts how the liver manage cholesterol level and raise the level of bad cholesterol (LDL). Either patients or healthy individuals, all people in all age groups, should limit the intake of these foods as possible because a high intake of these foods potentially raises the risk of diabetes complications, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
⇒ Now, we will discuss cholesterol-rich unhealthy foods.
(B) Cholesterol-rich unhealthy foods
1. Fast foods
represent a significant risk factor for obesity, diabetes, heart, and vascular diseases. Fast food is rich in trans fats, which impair cholesterol regulation by the liver and raises the level of LDL that contributes to atherosclerosis. People who consume fast food most of the time are overweight, obese, and have impaired glucose regulation (prediabetes). On the other side, home-made foods are healthier and more nutritious. People who depend mainly on home food have a healthier weight, less body fat, and low risk of heart diseases (low LDL).
Parents and teachers should focus on the harms of fast food with their children and students and encourage them to depend mainly on home food.
2. Processed meat
Processed meat is the meat that is cured, salted, smoked, dried, and canned; it includes foods such as sausage, hot dog, corned beef, canned, smoked, and dried meat. Processed meats don’t involve frozen meat or sliced and cut meat. Processed meat consumption usually accompanies an unhealthy lifestyle, such as smoking and high salt intake.
Processed meat contains harmful compounds, such as:
-
- salt (sodium chloride)
- nitrites
- nitrosamine
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- heterocyclic amines.
These compounds raise the risk of many chronic diseases, such as hypertension, heart diseases, cancers in the stomach and intestine, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD).
3. Fried foods
Frying is a popular method in food preparation, and many restaurants worldwide prefer this method as it is an expensive and quick method. You can fry any food, but the most popular fried foods include French fries, chicken strips, deep-fried meats, cheese sticks, and fish.
Fried foods are rich in calories, trans fats, and cholesterol. Frying adds too many calories to the foods; for example, 100 grams of French fries provides 17 grams of fat and 319 calories, while 100 grams of baked potato provides 93 calories and no fats. This composition of fried foods makes it unhealthy and raises the risk of heart diseases, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. Thus, we should avoid these foods as possible and advise the people around us, especially our children and students, to avoid these foods also.
4. Desserts and sweets
Sweets, such as pastries, cakes, cookies, ice cream, aren’t only high in cholesterol but also calories, trans fats, and added sugars. Also, these foods don’t contain the essential nutrients that the body needs to thrive, grow, and maintain good health. These foods – mainly due to the added sugars- raises the risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases. Children are at a high risk of decline in cognitive functions because they usually love these foods that don’t provide them with the nutrients that they need to develop in the best way, such as vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and proteins. Thus, parents and teachers should encourage children to limit these foods consumption.
Finally, we need cholesterol, but we should pay attention to how much and from where we get it. Total cholesterol should be less than 200mg/dl in adults, LDL should be less than 100mg/dl, and HDL should be 60mg/dl or higher. We should modify our lifestyle to reduce the risk of high cholesterol and its sequences. A healthy diet, regular exercise, healthy weight, and avoidance of smoking are efficient measures to keep your cholesterol in the healthy range and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.