List of Foods High in Cholesterol

While cholesterol is essential for the functioning of the body, a high cholesterol diet can lead to many health complications like heart diseases. Well, to start off with, let us look at what is cholesterol. To put it in simple words, cholesterol is a fatty, waxy stuff that your liver produces and is a part of every cell in your body. It is useful for the body, as it helps in producing and using vitamin D effectively and helps in the functioning of serotonin receptors. In addition, it also acts as a transportation mode, for vitamins like A and E which are antioxidants. There are mainly two types of cholesterol, namely the low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or the "bad" cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or the "good" cholestrol. While most of the people do not really need to be concerned about it, people suffering from heart diseases and diabetes are usually cautioned against the intake of foods high in cholesterol. Also an individual with a family history of heart diseases is cautioned about these foods.

So what exactly are the foods which have high cholesterol? The main reason for foods having high cholesterol is because of the presence of saturated fats and trans fat. As animal products have a higher percentage of saturated fats, they result in increasing cholesterol levels in the body. The other high cholesterol foods are dairy products, some seafood and eggs. Here is a comprehensive list of foods high in cholesterol.

High Cholesterol Foods List

Foods High in Saturated Fat: Found mainly in animal products, saturated fats increase the LDL levels. For people suffering from heart diseases, it is usually recommended that people limit their intake of saturated fat to 7 percent to 10 percent, of their diet. Here is a list of foods high in saturated fats.

Food	Portion	Cholesterol	Saturated Fat
Eggs	1	212 mg.	2 mg.
Butter	1 tsp.	11 mg.	3 mg.
Whole Milk	1 Cup	33 mg.	5 mg.
Low-Fat Milk	1 Cup	10 mg.	2 mg.
Lean Ground Beef	3.5 oz.	78 mg.	7 mg.
Beef	3.5 oz.	89 mg.	5 mg.
Beef Liver	3.5 oz.	389 mg	2 mg
Cheddar Cheese	1 oz.	30 mg.	6 mg.
Pork Chop	3.5 oz.	85 mg.	10 mg.
Pork Tenderloin	3.5 oz.	79 mg.	2 mg.
Chicken (skinless)	3.5 oz.	85 mg.	1 mg.

In addition to this, there are some plant based products like coconut and palm oil which are rich in saturated fats.

Foods High in Trans Fats: Made when liquid vegetable oil is heated in the presence of hydrogen, trans fats or hydrogenated fats are even worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fat and cholesterol itself because they raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol. It is found in:

• Commercially baked goods.
• Margarines.
• Snack foods such as cookies and crackers.
• Processed foods.
• Fried foods such as French fries.

Significance: Risk Posed by Foods High in Cholesterol

An increase in the cholesterol levels can lead to cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis diseases and it also leads to formation of fat deposits especially in the internal organs. As a person gets older, the body's metabolism slows down considerably, leading to cholesterol deposits which can cause severe health problems. Therefore, doctors usually warn heart patients and older people about the consumption of high cholesterol foods.

It is vital to remember, that the food containing high cholesterol is not really the only culprit, of all the cholesterol related problems. There are other causes of high cholesterol like, the way the food is cooked and the medium used to cook the food, are all contributory factors to high levels of bad cholesterol. So consumption of a single egg or maybe two will not result in a heart attack! Therefore it is advisable that rather than eliminating certain foods from your diet, it is healthier to consume the high cholesterol foods in moderate amounts and keep a strict vigil on how they are cooked. The important aspects of having a healthy heart and a long life is maintaining a proper lifestyle and having a healthy diet, so that the amount of good cholesterol with the bad, that is found within the body is balanced.