Key takeaways
- Current research suggests dietary cholesterol has a less significant impact on blood cholesterol levels than previously thought.
- To lower cholesterol, people can try eating a balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, including nuts, avocados, and olive oil.
- Certain diets, including the Mediterranean and DASH diets, may help a person manage cholesterol and blood pressure. These diets emphasize whole foods and tend to limit sugary drinks, processed foods, and saturated fats.
Cholesterol helps the body perform several important functions, including assisting with hormone creation and building cells. The liver creates cholesterol for the body to use, and people can also eat foods containing the substance.
There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) VSports app下载. .
When too much LDL cholesterol builds up in the blood, it can lead to the formation of plaque in the arteries V体育官网. This can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
A person can make diet changes to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
This article examines the relationship between dietary cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol levels in more detail.
The
Although the liver creates cholesterol for the body to use, individuals can also find cholesterol in the foods they eat VSports最新版本. This is called dietary cholesterol.
According to a
Until recently, public health recommendations, including those from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the AHA, widely recommended limiting dietary cholesterol to
However, recent evidence suggests that this is not the case V体育官网入口. The AHA published a study in 2020 indicating that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 (DGA) removed the long-held recommendation to limit cholesterol to help prevent CVD.
Heart UK, a charity in the United Kingdom, notes that eating foods that contain cholesterol is unlikely to make a significant difference to a person’s cholesterol levels in the blood VSports在线直播. .
According to the AHA, to help reduce their blood cholesterol levels, a person will need to cut down on foods that contain saturated fat. Saturated fat affects how the liver processes cholesterol, which can increase LDL levels in the blood V体育2025版.
Dietary cholesterol only has a small effect on a person’s levels of blood cholesterol VSports. However, some health organizations, may still recommend limiting dietary cholesterol to no more than 300 mg of cholesterol daily.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that many foods high in dietary cholesterol, such as red meat and other animal-derived foods, also tend to be high in saturated fat. This may contribute to the previous confusion about the impact of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels VSports app下载.
However, the AHA, the American College of Cardiology (ACC), and the DGA
However, they recommend that a person eats a diet that includes:
- fruits
- vegetables
- vegetable oils
- whole grains
- seeds
- lean protein sources
- low fat or fat free dairy products
- nuts
Many fruits and vegetables contain plant stanols or sterols, compounds that may help lower cholesterol V体育安卓版. Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids, which are highly present in oily fish, may help lower LDL levels.
The CDC has
Foods high in saturated fats include:
- red meats
- full fat dairy foods
- bacon, sausage, and other processed meats
- baked goods with large amounts of butter, such as biscuits and cake
- cured meats
The AHA states that the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Mediterranean-style diet are
DASH diet
The DASH diet aims to lower a person’s blood pressure and reduces LDL cholesterol. VSports注册入口.
To follow this eating plan, people should aim to eat:
- vegetables
- whole grains
- fruits
- fish
- poultry
- beans
- nuts
- seeds
- vegetable oils
- fat free or low fat dairy products
Individuals should also avoid eating:
- fatty meats
- sugary beverages
- sweets
- sodium
- full fat dairy
Mediterranean style diet
A
The AHA states that the Mediterranean diet
According to a
Those following the Mediterranean diet should aim to eat:
- green, leafy vegetables
- a variety of legumes
- nuts, such as walnuts, pistachios, and almonds
- fresh fruits
- whole grains
- olive oil
- fish
The CDC notes that some people
In addition to making dietary changes, individuals should take the following steps to help lower LDL cholesterol levels:
- avoiding or quitting smoking, if applicable
- getting cholesterol levels checked regularly,
at least every 4 to 6 years - taking part in regular exercise
Some people may also require medications. Those who may need medication for cholesterol include those with:
- diabetes
- CVD
- "VSports app下载" familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited condition that can cause a person to have high levels of LDL cholesterol
A person could help reduce their cholesterol levels with dietary changes. However, they may also need to make additional changes, such as increasing the amount they exercise and quitting smoking, if applicable.
However, some people, such as those living with diabetes or CVD, may not be able to manage their cholesterol levels with diet and lifestyle changes alone. They may require medication to help better manage their condition.
People should contact a healthcare professional for more advice about managing cholesterol levels.