Foods to Avoid while Managing High Cholesterol And Ways To Medically Treat It
High cholesterol levels can be quite dangerous, as they put you at the risk of developing heart disease. In addition to taking medications and following medical treatments for cholesterol from your doctor—such as Opsumit, PCSK9 inhibitors, Evolocumab, and Repatha treatments—you need to monitor what you eat. More so if you have high blood cholesterol levels, as certain foods can lead to spikes in cholesterol levels. Let’s take a look at some of the foods to avoid with high cholesterol:
- Liver : Liver is rich in iron and can be a healthy choice for some people, but if you’re battling high cholesterol, this organ meat is best left out of your diet. After all, it’s the body’s primary source of cholesterol.
- Muffins : Muffins can seem like a healthy breakfast choice, but that depends on how the muffin is made. If you opt for a low-fat bran muffin made with whole-wheat flour, it’s a healthy choice. But muffins made out of whole milk and eggs with extra treats like chocolate chips should be avoided if you want to keep a check on your cholesterol levels.
- Margarine : Once thought of as a healthier replacement to butter, margarine can be loaded with cholesterol, so you need to stay away from it when on a low-cholesterol diet.
- Commercial baked goods : Baked goods make delightful snacks but are definitely not healthy. Cookies, cupcakes, and macaroons may be hard to resist, but they should be avoided at all costs. They are filled with trans fat, the last thing that your body needs when your cholesterol levels are already high.
- Shellfish : Shellfish come with several health benefits, but it is one of the foods to avoid for people with high cholesterol and heart disease.
- Mac and cheese : This dish cannot be your comfort food if you have high cholesterol levels, as it may cause your cholesterol levels to shoot up because of the saturated fat content.
- Hamburgers : Hamburgers may be the comfort food of many in the country, but you need to think twice before you indulge in one if you want to keep your cholesterol levels in check.
- Fried chicken : Anything fried is harmful, and fried chicken is no better. You can opt for baked instead of fried chicken, as it would be a much better option when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels. In fact, a hamburger may have less cholesterol than fried chicken, so this is a strict no-no.
- French fries : These are, again, potatoes that are deep-fried, a big no if you wish to keep your cholesterol levels in check.
- Cream cheese : Cream cheese tastes just great on a bagel, but unfortunately, an ounce of cream cheese can have 27 mg of cholesterol, making it one of the most important foods to avoid with high cholesterol.
- Red meat : This includes beef, lamb, and pork, which should be left off your plate as they contain a lot of saturated fat.