Touch-me-not Foods for Individuals Suffering from High Cholesterol Values

Ice creams Contain More Cholesterol Than A Hamburger

Eating is blissful for some. They can go about munching on a variety of delicious and tasty dishes whenever they feel bored or tempted. At a young age, we don’t care about calories, health quotient or the ill effects of a certain food. For example, if you ask a teenager to refrain from eating pizza, he/she is surely not going to give heed to what you recommend. But, as the teenager grows, he/she is sure to bother about the calories present in every food that they eat irrespective of their hunger.
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High blood pressure, high cholesterol values and risk of heart disease are becoming a common issue these days and though, we would love to continue the teenage habit of munching on anything that comes by our way, monitoring our food intakes becomes of utmost concern here.

Impact of Cholesterol on Day-to-day Life
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the cells of the body. Its not bad in moderate quantities and our body needs certain quantities of cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and enzymes needed for digestion. But too much of cholesterol can be a problem.

Every adult above the age of 20 is advised to get his/her cholesterol levels checked every 4 to 6 years with a lipoprotein blood test. Avoid these cholesterol-rich foods to keep your cholesterol levels under control:

1. While liver might be rich in iron content and prescribed to be a healthy food in the case of some individuals, for some other individuals it might pave way for increased cholesterol levels in the body.
2. While muffins are consumed for breakfast and is proposed as a healthy option, the goodness of the muffin depends on the method of preparation. If the muffin is made of whole-wheat or low-fat bran, it is definitely a healthy choice. But the ones baked with chocolate sauce and nuts are full of calories.
3. Popcorn can be good or bad for health depending on the method of preparation. If you microwave your popcorn with plenty of butter and salt, it is ultimately going to be high in calories and contribute towards excess cholesterol. Whereas, if you choose a bowl of unsalted, butter-free popcorn it is going to be a healthy snack that aids to lower cholesterol levels. If you would like to garnish something over your popcorn, choose a light olive oil dressing with some parmesan cheese sprinkled over your snack to keep it balanced on calories.
4. Baked goods are hard to resist but fast to assist in shooting up your cholesterol values. Cupcakes, cookies or cake slices can be tempting but individuals with high cholesterol are strictly advised to stay away from these foods as they are filled with trans fat due to the use of hydrogenated vegetable oils.
5. Shellfish is generally good for health but must be ignored by those with heart disease or increased cholesterol levels. Only 85 grams of lobster contain 61 mg of cholesterol which excludes the butter into which the lobster gets dipped into for added taste.
6. Cheese and pasta are loved by many of us. The list of ingredients that form the dish, such as whole milk, butter and cheese are loaded with saturated fats and cholesterol that makes it an unhealthy choice for many.
7. Burgers are fulfilling, versatile and can be loaded with any of your favorite fillings right from ham to your choice of exotic vegetables. These also make a comfortable choice for quick on-the-go lunch/dinner menus. Think twice before placing an order for a burger next time as one Mac burger contains 85 mg of cholesterol and a double burger contains 175 mg of cholesterol.
8. No party is complete without the fried chicken. It’s tasty, crunchy, golden fried and filled with cholesterol so much more than what is present in a hamburger. It is better to replace this with a heart-healthy chicken dish.
9. French fries are liked even by a 2-year-old baby or a 70-year-old person. These are storehouses of cholesterol due to the presence of hydrogenated vegetable oils. Oils in the fries help to preserve the food and can also withstand repeated heating without crumbling down which is essential for frying fast foods. Studies show that partially hydrogenated oils contain ample trans fat.
10. Ice creams might be your favorite dessert and it might hurt you when you hear that one scoop of your favorite frozen treat contains more fat that a hamburger and more cholesterol than 10 glazed doughnuts. So, ice creams are not the best snacking options for those with high cholesterol.
11. Egg yolks are rich in cholesterol. Earlier, people avoided these yellow portions as they were high in cholesterol. But, these are sources of good cholesterol when consumed in moderation. It is ok to enjoy a breakfast of omelettes with bread or scrambled eggs and keep a watch on your cholesterol intake during the other meals of the day.
12. While butter might be the key ingredient in many dishes, such as popcorns, pancakes and so on, if we suffer from high cholesterol levels it is recommended to stay away from these dishes.
13. Red meats are loaded with cholesterol and saturated fats compared to other meats. Instead of consuming red meats such as beef, lamb and pork choose healthy alternatives such as plant-based proteins, beans, chicken (without frying) and fish (rich in omega-3s).
    

Baked Goods Load You with Cholesterol

Pasta & Cheese are a Deadly Cholesterol Combination

No Party is Complete without Fried Chickens

Eating the above-mentioned foods is not a sin. All you have to keep in mind is to eat them in controlled portions and stick to your daily physical activity routine to stay in good health. If you suffer from high cholesterol values which keeps hitting your health badly, it is better to get in touch with a registered dietitian nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com who can help you control cholesterol values with healthy eating plans and a simple activity routine.