Understanding Food and Cholesterol
Having a high LDL (bad) cholesterol level puts you at risk for heart disease and other health problems. What you eat has a big effect on your body's cholesterol levels.
Know which foods are high in unsaturated fats
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Eating foods high in unsaturated fats can help to lower your LDL cholesterol.
Choose foods high in unsaturated fats more often
- Olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, or soft margarines.
- Nuts and seeds.
Know which foods are high in saturated fat and trans fat
Eating foods high in saturated fat can raise your LDL cholesterol.
Limit foods high in saturated fats
- Heavily marbled meats, including beef, lamb, and pork, and poultry with skin on
- Cold cuts, bacon, and sausage
- Creamy sauces and fatty gravies
- Cookies, donuts, muffins, and pastries
- Fried foods
- Shortening, butter, stick margarine, coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter
- Cream and ice cream
Choose foods with less saturated fats more often
- Lean beef, skinless white-meat poultry, and fish
- Tomato sauce, broth-based soups, vegetable puree, and avocado
- Baked, broiled, steamed, or roasted foods
- Lower-fat dairy products, such as 2%, 1%, or skim milk, low-fat yogurt, and reduced-fat cheese
Use fibre to help control cholesterol
Foods high in fibre can help lower your LDL cholesterol. Good sources of fibre are:
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter J892 in the search box to learn more about "Understanding Food and Cholesterol".
Adaptation Date: 04/13/2026
Adapted By: Alberta Health Services
Adaptation Reviewed By: Alberta Health Services
