Diet is very important to your health – it can improve or worsen it. The following are eating habits raising your cholesterol.
Having a certain amount of cholesterol is necessary, but too much can lead to blood clots, heart disease, and stroke. While many factors affect your cholesterol levels, your diet is a main contributing factor. To help you know what to avoid, here are some eating habits raising your cholesterol according to experts.
1. Red Meat
“Heart disease and obesity are the main diseases associated with a diet high in red meat,” says Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD at Balance One Supplements. “This is because of the meat’s high saturated fat content, which leads to an increase in cholesterol and artery blockages along with triglycerides.”
2. Yo-Yo Diets
“Weight cycling (also known as yo-yo dieting) has been associated with lower HDL (the ‘good’ cholesterol) and higher LDL (the ‘bad’ cholesterol),” says Rachel Fine, RDN and founder of To The Pointe Nutrition. “It should be considered that any extreme methods to lose weight might be more detrimental for cholesterol than actually staying at a weight that is higher (and perhaps) more comfortable for anyone’s body.”
3. Fried Foods
“It is important to avoid or limit fried foods,” says Beth Hawkes, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Nurse Code. “These foods are high-cholesterol items and should be avoided whenever possible, especially because the hydrogenated oil used for frying these foods contains bad fats that tend to raise bad (LDL) cholesterol in the body.”
4. Added Sugar
“Ice creams and baked goodies, such as cakes, pastries, and cookies, contain added sugars, and there is a link between added sugars and increased LDL (bad cholesterol),” says Hawkes. “Added sugars also decrease the level of HDL (good cholesterol) and increase triglycerides in your body.”
5. Pre-Packaged Foods
“[Pre-packaged] foods can raise cholesterol because these foods have little fiber in them, often contain a highly saturated (and environmentally detrimental fat) palm oil (or derivative), and contain few healthful nutrients, making them inflammatory and likely to increase cholesterol,” says Dana Ellis Hunnes, Ph.D., MPH, RD, registered dietitian and author of Recipe for Survival.
The Outlook
If you want to improve your cholesterol, then make sure you avoid these eating habits. Instead, look for ways to incorporate heart-healthy foods into your diet. In addition, you can boost your cholesterol health by exercising regularly and taking supplements like L-arginine Plus.
As a heart supplement, its ingredients are effective at promoting cholesterol, circulation, blood pressure, and more. If you’re ready to give your health the support it deserves by eating healthily and taking L-arginine Plus.