Diet For High Ldl Cholesterol – Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity in developed and developing countries. High LDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations with low HDL cholesterol concentrations are associated with elevated heart disease risk. (1)
To ensure you maintain heart health, it’s important to eat cholesterol-lowering foods and avoid high-cholesterol foods that cause inflammation and weight gain.
Diet For High Ldl Cholesterol
When it comes to reducing high cholesterol naturally, it is not necessary to strictly avoid all high-cholesterol foods. In fact, foods high in cholesterol can still be eaten regularly.
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It’s all about moderation and balance — eating a combination of nutrient-dense foods that fight inflammation and tackle the root of the problem, while avoiding more harmful high-cholesterol foods like processed foods and alcohol.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all cells of the body. Our bodies need cholesterol to make hormones that protect the body, vitamin D and bile salts that are essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Also, the brain and nervous system depend on cholesterol for the creation of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.
Our body makes the cholesterol it needs, but we also get cholesterol from the food we eat. If you have too much cholesterol, it starts to build up in your arteries and can cause atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
Finally, high cholesterol levels can cause heart and blood flow problems, leading to dangerous blood clots and inflammation that can lead to heart attack and stroke. High cholesterol levels alone do not determine whether you are at risk for heart attack or stroke.
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Other factors include your blood pressure, whether you smoke, whether you have diabetes, and your age, gender, and race. (2a)
According to the American Heart Association, many people don’t know they have high cholesterol because there are usually no symptoms. (2b) High cholesterol can cause a dangerous buildup of cholesterol and other deposits on the walls of your arteries, reducing blood flow through the arteries. This can lead to coronary heart disease and complications, such as chest pain (angina), heart attack and stroke.
For decades, there have been government-set dietary recommendations for healthy adults to limit cholesterol intake to no more than 300 milligrams per day. However, based on recent evidence, there are some serious challenges regarding this current dietary restriction, which has resulted in the discussion of national recommendations to be revised eventually.
The truth is that not all high cholesterol foods are bad for you. In fact, some can raise HDL cholesterol levels and improve your cardiovascular health.
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The most important factor in differentiating high-cholesterol foods that should be avoided versus high-cholesterol foods that can still be consumed is inflammation. Foods that cause weight gain and inflammation are ones that should be eliminated from your diet to promote cardiovascular health.
According to the National Cancer Institute, these are the top dietary sources of cholesterol in people living in the United States: (3)
Interestingly, not all of these high-cholesterol foods have a negative effect on our total cholesterol levels. Foods that cause inflammation do the most damage and increase the chances of developing heart disease. (4a) Poor-quality animal products are highly irritating, such as toxic oils made using chemicals and solvents. Alcohol, sugar and caffeine are all stimulants that the liver can use to produce more cholesterol, increasing levels of inflammation.
Research shows that increased body weight is associated with high cholesterol and an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Therefore, losing weight and cutting out foods that contribute to weight gain and inflammation can help you lower your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. (4b) The following foods should be avoided to lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterol levels:
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When canola oil undergoes hydrogenation, which it often becomes a partially hydrogenated oil, it increases the level of trans fat. This is one group of fats that you want to avoid as much as possible because they are scientifically known to raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol levels.
Research shows that all fatty acids with one or more bonds in the trans configuration increase the ratio of LDL-to-HDL cholesterol. (5) Other oils that contain trans fatty acids include corn oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and vegetable oil.
Extensive research assesses the increase in snacking, snack foods and ultra-processed foods in the American diet. Some studies show that 66 percent of the calories consumed by American citizens come from packaged foods and beverages.
As the frequency and number of snacking and snack meals have increased, the frequency of eating has also increased, leading to higher rates of obesity and higher cholesterol levels. (6) Avoid unhealthy snacks, such as potato chips, crackers, fried foods and other packaged foods.
Best And Worst Foods For High Cholesterol
Dietary sugars act as a cause of obesity, several chronic diseases and a range of cardiometabolic risk factors. In America today, more than 75 percent of packaged and processed foods contain some form of sugar. Research shows that added sugars are associated with increased LDL cholesterol, increased triglycerides and decreased HDL cholesterol. (7, 8)
This includes baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, muffins, pastries, candies, and other packaged foods that contain added sugar. Also, sugary drinks lead to weight gain and inflammation, which can negatively affect your cholesterol levels. This includes soda, juice, energy drinks and other sugary drinks on the market today – all of which lead to sugar addiction.
Recent studies have shown that processed meats are associated with increased cardiovascular disease and stroke mortality. Evidence shows that consumption of processed meat increases the risk of heart health problems, while consumption of unprocessed meat has little or no association with cardiovascular disease. (9)
Limit consumption of processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, bologna, salami and hot dogs. Even those labeled “low fat” are high in calories and saturated fat. Also, processed meats are often high in sodium.
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Excessive alcohol increases your blood pressure and triglyceride levels, while moderate alcohol consumption (up to five grams per day) can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Research shows that higher levels of consumption increase the risk of developing heart problems, starting at 30 grams per day for women and 45 grams per day for men.
Milk fat contains a wide range of fatty acids, and some have adverse effects on cholesterol-rich lipoproteins. Saturated fatty acids, such as lauric acid and myristic acid, increase total plasma cholesterol, particularly LDL. Research shows that replacing dairy saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids with polyunsaturated fats lowers LDL cholesterol levels and is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Recent randomized control trials indicate that dairy fermentation can be used to produce products with more beneficial effects on the plasma lipid profile, such as kefir and organic, cultured yogurt. (11) In fact, a 2008 study showed that unpasteurized yogurt lowered serum cholesterol by 5-9 percent. (12)
A high diet of refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, tortillas, bagels and pasta, has a negative effect on your HDL cholesterol levels. Studies show that refined grains have a high glycemic index, and consumption of these types of carbohydrates increases significant risks of high cholesterol. (13)
Professor Philip Calder
Reducing your intake of these types of carbohydrates can improve your HDL levels. Opt for high-quality, sprouted breads and fruits instead.
Although most dietary cholesterol in the US diet comes from eggs and egg-mixed dishes, research shows that egg consumption has little effect on LDL cholesterol and may actually improve HDL cholesterol levels. (14)
, 28 overweight or obese male participants aged 40–70 years were asked to reduce caloric intake by consuming a low-carbohydrate diet, and they limited this diet to three eggs per day (640 mg cholesterol) or A cholesterol-free egg substitute, which was provided to them for 12 weeks.
The intervention resulted in a significant reduction in body weight. LDL and triglyceride concentrations were similar between the two intervention groups, but HDL cholesterol concentrations were higher in the egg-supplemented group. (15)
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It turns out that eggs have many health benefits, and they can be consumed without any worries.
The recommendation to reduce saturated fat intake is often interpreted as a need to eliminate beef to control or lower cholesterol levels.
However, research shows that consumption of lean beef and chicken had similar effects on plasma levels of total, LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, suggesting that leaner, grass-fed beef and chicken may be substituted. (16)
Dark chocolate contains flavonols, which are antioxidants that promote heart health and may reduce cholesterol levels and arterial plaque.
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Found that polyphenols present in dark, healthy chocolate may contribute to reducing lipid peroxidation. In the study, 45 healthy volunteers consumed 75 grams of white chocolate, dark chocolate or dark chocolate enriched with cocoa polyphenols daily.
The researchers found that serum HDL cholesterol increased in the dark chocolate and dark chocolate with cocoa polyphenols groups, and LDL levels decreased in all three study groups. (17)
Cholesterol travels in your bloodstream in small packages called lipoproteins, which are made up of fat on the inside and protein on the outside. Because fats are not water soluble, this binding to proteins helps them move into the bloodstream.
Having healthy levels of both lipoproteins is important
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