4 Everyday Foods A Doctor Wants You To Swerve If Your Cholesterol's Up

More than half of UK adults are thought to suffer with high cholesterol – yet they might not even know it. Cholesterol is a natural fatty substance found in your blood. If you have higher levels of it (above the recommended healthy limit of 5mmol/L) it can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.Yet you probably wouldn’t know if you have higher levels, as it doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. The main way to tell if they’re high is to have a blood test.Certain groups are more at risk of high cholesterol, including the over-50s, men, postmenopausal women, and people of South Asian or sub-Saharan African origin.The issue can also run in families, which is why experts recently stressed how crucial it is to ask the older generations about their health.Another major risk factor is lifestyle – per the NHS, high cholesterol can be caused by eating fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking, and drinking alcohol.On the topic of diet, Professor Dr Mehmet Temel Yilmaz, an endocrinology and metabolic diseases specialist from Acibadem, said: “High cholesterol causes all sorts of health concerns. As such, it’s important to keep your cholesterol levels in check.“Some foods have naturally higher levels of cholesterol than others and should be avoided at all costs as a result.”Here, the expert has outlined four foods to avoid in order to reduce your cholesterol levels – and what to try instead. 1. Red meat“Whether it’s beef or lamb, red meats are known to have high levels of saturated fats, with measurements of around 5-10g per 100g serving,” said Dr Yilmaz.“Of course, some meats are worse than others, including the likes of pork and beef.”His advice is to try and exclude these meats from your diet: “Instead, you could try swapping in white meat alternatives, like chicken, turkey, or even some types of fish.”2. Full-fat dairySorry cheese and whole milk fans, but “full-fat sources of dairy like milk and cheese are indeed rich in saturated fats and, as a result, cholesterol”, said the expert.He recommends swapping for skimmed milk, almond milk, or other vegan options which do not contain cholesterol, for example, soya milk.If you adore cheese, you could opt for reduced-fat cheese instead, alternatively try cottage cheese, ricotta or feta, per the British Heart Foundation.Butter is also a high source of cholesterol, noted Dr Yilmaz, who advises swapping it for “margarine or some types of oil like sunflower or olive oil”. You might want to avoid lard and ghee, too.3. Chocolate“Some types of chocolate can contain varying amounts of cholesterol. However, the exact amount can change between brands. Milk chocolate, for example, contains milk fat, which does contain cholesterol,” said Dr Yilmaz.But it’s not all doom and gloom: “Dark chocolate, by contrast, contains very little cholesterol,” he said.For fans of milk chocolate, the doctor noted that “the odd treat here and there is unlikely to cause much harm. But, excessive consumption can add up over time”. Noted.4. Fried foodUnsurprisingly, fried food is definitely one to be avoided if your cholesterol is on the up. “Foods that are fried are often considered to be high in cholesterol, as the cooking process itself directly influences the fat content of the food,” said Dr Yilmaz. “Specifically, the frying process increases the amount of ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL), while simultaneously lowering the amount of ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL).“This, combined with the fat absorption process of the oil, is linked to increased weight gain and subsequently, higher cholesterol.”Best foods for keeping cholesterol levels in checkThe NHS advises eating more of the following:oily fish, like mackerel and salmonolive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oilsbrown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pastanuts and seedsfruits and vegetables.Harvard Health Publishing notes that soy, oats, apple, grapes and strawberries can also help keep cholesterol levels in check.Exercise is also crucial for keeping levels low – aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week. That’s about 20 minutes a day. Related...Eating 2 Of This Common Fruit A Day May Lower CholesterolThis Cheap 'Junk' Breakfast Can Help To Lower High CholesterolEating These Cupboard Staples Daily May Lower Cholesterol And Decrease Inflammation

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