High Cholesterol: Effect of Food on Cholesterol
High Cholesterol: Effect of Food on CholesterolSkip to the navigationTopic OverviewFood can affect the amounts of cholesterol in your blood. Some foods raise cholesterol. Other foods help lower cholesterol. The table below lists different foods and how they affect
your total cholesterol level, your
HDL ("good") cholesterol, and your
LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Effects of different foods on your cholesterolDietary element | Examples | Effect on your cholesterol level |
|---|
| Dietary fiber (soluble) | - Oats
- Dried beans
(legumes)
- Peas
- Barley
- Citrus
fruits
- Apples
| - Proved to reduce total cholesterol and
LDL
| Dietary fiber (insoluble) | - Whole wheat breads and cereals
- Beets
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Turnips
| - Does not affect cholesterol but promotes healthy bowel movement
| | Saturated fat | - Fatty meats (beef, pork)
- Poultry skin
- Butterfat (in whole milk, cream, ice
cream, cheese)
- Tropical oils (coconut, palm)
| - Raises
LDL
- Little effect on
HDL or
triglycerides
| | Monounsaturated fat | - Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Avocados
- Walnuts
| - Lowers LDL if substituted for saturated fat
- Keeps HDL up
| | Polyunsaturated fat | - Safflower oil
- Sunflower oil
- Sesame oil
- Corn oil
- Soybean oil
- Flaxseed oil
| - Linoleic acid, found in these oils, can lower
LDL if used in moderation.
| | Omega-3 fats | - All fish, especially fatty fish, such as
salmon and mackerel
- Plant sources, such as walnuts, canola, and
flaxseed oils
| | | Trans fats | - Hydrogenated fats, found in some margarines, vegetable
shortenings, nondairy creamers, and whipped toppings
- Snack foods
(potato chips, cookies, cakes)
- Peanut butter that contains
hydrogenated fat (except all-natural varieties)
| - Raises LDL
- Little effect on HDL
but at high levels can lower HDL
| Soy protein | - Soybeans
- Soy products such as tofu
| - Lowers LDL by a small amount
- No effect on HDL
| Plant stanols and sterols | - Specially labeled margarine
| - Lowers LDL
- No effect on HDL
| ReferencesOther Works Consulted- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2005). Your Guide to Lowering Your Cholesterol With TLC (NIH Publication No. 06-5235). Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/chol_tlc.pdf.
- Raymond JL, Couch SC (2012). Medical nutrition and therapy for cardiovascular disease. In LK Mahan et al., eds., Krause's Food and the Nutrition Care Process, 13th ed., pp. 742-781. St Louis: Saunders.
- Sacks FM, et al. (2006). Soy protein, isoflavones, and cardiovascular health: An American Heart Association science advisory for professionals from the Nutrition Committee. Circulation, 113(7): 1034-1044. Also available online: http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/113/7/1034.
CreditsByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerRhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator
Kathleen M. Fairfield, MD, MPH, DrPH - Internal Medicine Current as ofApril 3, 2017 Current as of:
April 3, 2017 Last modified on: 8 September 2017
|
|