You need cholesterol. It’s a crucial material your body uses to build the hormones, cells, and vitamins that keep you alive and healthy.
But many people—including 94 million American adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—have high cholesterol levels, which puts them at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Romit Bhattacharya, MD, a Mass General Brigham cardiologist, explains what it really means to have unhealthy cholesterol levels. Dr. Bhattacharya is the associate director of the Cardiac Lifestyle Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. He shares tips about the worst and best foods to eat when you have high cholesterol.
What is cholesterol?
Many people are familiar with the term “cholesterol,” and have heard that high cholesterol is dangerous. But to truly grasp the value of healthy cholesterol levels, it’s important to understand what the word means.
“Cholesterol is a particle in the blood that all humans and animals need to live,” says Dr. Bhattacharya. “But in today’s day and age, we end up with too much of it. Its primary role is to create a membrane—like a bubble—around molecules in the body and help them travel from place to place.”
What are the worst foods for high cholesterol?
When it comes to the worst foods for high cholesterol, Dr. Bhattacharya says it’s important to look out for animal products—particularly red meat and dairy.
“High-fat dairy is for growing calves,” Dr. Bhattacharya explains. “It’s for growing infants who need cholesterol and fat in their diet to build their brains, their nerves, their bodies. When we’re eating full-fat dairy and meat, we’re ingesting a whole lot of dietary cholesterol—particularly saturated fat, which has consistently proven to increase cholesterol levels. So, message number one is this: Decrease your saturated fat intake to at least less than 10% of your daily calories.”
The worst foods for high cholesterol, given their high saturated fat content, include:
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Red meat, like beef, pork, and lamb, as well as processed meats like sausage
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Full-fat dairy, like cream, whole milk, and butter
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Baked goods and sweets
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Fried foods
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Tropical oils such as palm oil and coconut oil
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Butter
