Cholesterol

Keep Dietary Cholesterol Below 300 Milligrams per Day

Remember: Only animal foods contain cholesterol. Plant foods do not contain cholesterol.

Cholesterol is an essential component to health. Our bodies, however, make all the cholesterol we need. Therefore, it is not necessary to consume any cholesterol. Unless you are a vegan (someone who does not eat any animal products), you will consume cholesterol from the meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products that you eat.

The important thing is to keep your total cholesterol intake below 300 mg per day. This is because excess cholesterol can build up in the vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart and brain. When this happens, the space through which blood can flow is restricted which can result in high blood pressure, a heart attack, or stroke.

Lowering cholesterol is a combination of diet (limiting saturated fat, including healthy poly- and mono-unsaturated fats, and increasing fruits, vegetables, cereal fiber, fish, and lean meats) and regular physical activity.

CHOOSE LEAN SOURCES OF PROTEIN

Select leanest cuts of meat.
Trim all fat and remove skin from poultry.
Prepare with little or no added fat.
Choose lean luncheon meats.
Eat fish and beans often.
Select omega-3 fatty acid rich fish more often.
Include nuts in snacks, salads, and main dishes.

What Foods Contain Cholesterol?

This question can be answered very simply. Just ask: ”Does the food come from an animal or a plant?“ If it comes from an animal, then it DOES contain cholesterol. If it comes from a plant, then it DOES NOT contain cholesterol.

Dairy and Eggs	Cholesterol (mg)
Egg, 1 large (about eggs) Egg white Half and half, 1 Tbsp Buttermilk, 1 cup Whole milk, 1 cup 2% lowfat milk, 1 cup 1% lowfat milk, 1 cup Nonfat milk, 1 cup Yogurt, fruit, low-fat, 3 1/2 ounces Cheese, 3 1/2 ounces Brie Cottage, 2% Feta Swiss	211 0 6 8 28 16 8 4 5 100 8 89 92
Meat and Poultry	Cholesterol (mg)
Beef, top loin, select, 3 1/2 ounces trimmed Tenderloin, 3 1/2 ounces trimmed Chicken breast, without skin, 3 1/2 ounces cooked Chicken leg, without skin, 3 1/2 ounces cooked	76 84 85 94
Fish and Shellfish	Cholesterol (mg)
Salmon, 3 1/2 ounces cooked Halibut, 3 1/2 ounces cooked Crab, king, 3 1/2 ounces cooked Oysters, 3 1/2 ounces cooked Shrimp, 3 1/2 ounces cooked	87 41 53 109 195

Grains	Cholesterol (mg)
Rice, brown, 3 1/2 ounces cooked Wheat bran, 2 Tbsp crude Oats, 3 1/2 ounces cooked	0 0 0
Nuts, Seeds, and Legumes	Cholesterol (mg)
Almonds, 3 1/2 ounces dry roasted Peanuts, 3 1/2 ounces dry roasted Sunflower seeds, 3 1/2 ounces Lentils, 3 1/2 ounces cooked	0 0 0 0
Fruits and Vegetables	Cholesterol (mg)
Figs, ¼ cup dried Acorn squash, ½ cup baked Blueberries, 1 cup fresh Artichoke, fresh, boiled Potato, 1 medium, baked with skin	0 0 0 0 0

Do you see how all of the foods that come from
an animal contain cholesterol, and how all of
the foods that come from a plant do not contain
cholesterol?