Note: This article is originally published on MEDIUM.
Cholesterol is an important element of life as to how the body regulates processes such as hormone production and cell structure. Proper examples of processed meats are bacon, sausages, and hot dogs, which in the composition mainly consist of cholesterol and saturated fats. The incorporation of sodium and preservatives and toxins within them also proves to be hazardous and leads to cardiovascular diseases.
Here is a list of foods high in cholesterol together with consuming tips to have such a diet without compromising the heart.
1. Organ Meats
Liver, kidneys, and the brain, as organ meats, are the top of the few that are found to be the richest when it comes to the conventional sources of dietary cholesterol. For instance, three ounces of the liver of a beef supply more than 330 mg of cholesterol, a quantity that is over the daily limit that people exposed to high cholesterol should not cross. Although these meats are full of other important nutrients like iron and vitamin A, they are the ones that bring out the cholesterol content excess of the fixed quantity and therefore must be eaten moderately.
- Heart-Healthy Tip: If you like organ meats, try to balance it out with portion control and serving those with cholesterol-reducing foods such as leafy greens or whole grains.
2. Egg Yolks
Egg yolks contain considerable amounts of cholesterol; one large egg contains approximately 186 mg of cholesterol. On the other hand, there exist recent empirical studies that recently proved that for most persons, the consumption of eggs may be incorporated into the diet in healthy ways. The impact of egg utilization on the variability of blood cholesterol in persons is with more significant impact by saturated lipids rather than dietary lipids.
- Heart Healthy Hint: If you are concerned with cholesterol, cook using egg whites, eggs, plus low-calorie egg substitutes, and sometimes give your body whole egg delight.
3. Shellfish
Shellfish include the popular types of shrimp, lobster, and crab, which are very rich in dietary cholesterol. Additionally, a 3-ounce serving of shrimp has about 189 mg of cholesterol. On the contrary, shellfish are very low in saturated fat and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids that make them a very good alternative compared to other cholesterol-rich foods.
- Heart-Healthy Tip: Grill, steam, or bake shellfish in your dishes using environmentally friendly methods. Do not suffer from the production of as little as possible of high-saturated-fat ingredients like butter or cream-based sauces.
4. High-Fat Dairy Foods
Full-fat milk, cheese, butter, and cream are such examples of foods rich in cholesterol and saturated fats. One single reason for this is because a 1-ounce piece of cheddar cheese contains 30 mg of cholesterol and 6 grams of saturated fat
- Heart Healthy Tip: Select low-fat or no-fat dairy like the regular version. For example, take skim milk rather than the whole milk counterpart and use cheese that contains less fat.
5. Red Meats
The processed meats like Bacon, sausages, and hot dogs contain a high amount of cholesterol and saturated fats. Moreover, these foods often contain sodium and preservatives, which make it twice the risk of having cardiovascular diseases.
- Heart Healthy Hint: Opt for lean proteins such as turkey and chicken breast or a variety of plant proteins from beans and lentils instead of the meat-based products you usually buy, and you will find that your consumption of processed meat has gone down significantly.
6. Fast Food
Most fast-food items are often fried, such as hamburgers, fried chicken, and yes, pizza that have a lot of cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans-fat content. These fats block the arteries and thus make heart diseases very likely.
- Heart-Healthy Tip: Try to stay away from fast food as much as possible. Prepare homemade dishes using freshly picked whole food ingredients. When out, use fried ones, avoiding and thus grilled, baked, or steamed instead look for it.
7. Bakeries and Pastry Stores
Pastries, cakes, and cookies are almost entirely high in cholesterol and saturated fats since they are prepared with butter, cream, and eggs. Some of them even contain trans fats, which are considered the worst for heart health if overused.
- Heart-Healthy Tip: Reduce your intake of bakery products and choose the healthier heart options, such as whole-grain muffins or fruit-based desserts (with minimal added fat and sugar).
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