Basic Guide to Foods High in Cholesterol
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Most of what we buy, cook, and eat are foods high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and calories. From processed goods to baked pastries, we may be unaware that we have exceeded our limit of cholesterol intake.Unknown to us, foods that are known to be nutritious may also have its setbacks. Did you know that while dairy products like milk and cheese are good sources of calcium, they also have a lot of cholesterol?
- Dairy Products
One of the leading food products that are actually foods high in cholesterol are milk, cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. However, these are also sources of important nutrients. Fortunately, there are low fat and nonfat dairy products available for people who do not want the extra cholesterol.
You can get cheeses that are fat free, low fat, part skim, or reduced fat. Basically, choose cheese that has 3 grams or less of fat per ounce. If you want soft cheeses, try getting the low fat (one percent) or nonfat cottage cheese, farmer cheese, or light ricotta or part skim. Additionally, watch out for cheese that have too much sodium in them.
Instead of whole or two percent milk, try skim or one percent milk. The latter are just as nutritious and rich in calcium as whole milk, but with less fat and cholesterol.
- Eggs
The whole egg is not high in cholesterol. It is the yolk, which contains around 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. If you cannot avoid eating egg yolks, then at least limit your intake to two per week. The limit extends to the yolks in baked and processed goods. Before buying or eating these types of food, check their labels and see how much cholesterol it has or if it uses whole eggs.
As mentioned, egg whites have no cholesterol in them. You can even use two egg whites to substitute one whole egg.
- Fats and Oils
By their names alone, you can tell that fats and oils pack cholesterol and calories. But that does not mean that they are completely bad for your health. With substitutes and a limit to the total fats and oil intake, you can continue to enjoy your meals.
Instead of using cooking oil with unsaturated fat, you can choose vegetable oil which is a lot healthier. Choose canola, sunflower, corn, soybean, olive, sesame, peanut, and safflower oils instead. For margarine, go for the soft tub or the liquid kind. Salad dressings and mayonnaise also come in light or nonfat kinds.
Since butter, fatback, lard, and solid shortenings are high in fat and cholesterol, you can also limit your use of these ingredients when cooking.
Even though most of what we eat are foods high in cholesterol, it does not necessarily mean that we have to drastically change our diet. We can continue to enjoy our meals but we do have to be careful and vigilant of what we take in. The labels on the containers of the food you buy are there for a reason. Check them and see if you are going to be eating too much calories, fat, or cholesterol. You do not have to avoid them, but you can eat them in moderation.
