reviewed by dr. Shabrina Wakid
Cholesterol actually does not always have a negative impact. If the levels are right, cholesterol functions to increase the flexibility and strength of cells in the body. However, if the levels are excessive, the risk of causing various diseases. One way to lower high cholesterol levels is to avoid the 7 cholesterol food taboos.
Excess cholesterol levels are at risk of accumulating in the arteries and forming plaques which are at risk of narrowing the arteries. This condition is at risk of causing disease, such as stroke and heart disease. To prevent high cholesterol levels, know the following 7 cholesterol food restrictions:
7 Abstinence Trigger Cholesterol Foods that Need to be Avoided
To keep cholesterol normal, here are 7 cholesterol food restrictions that you need to avoid:
1. Fast food
Junk food or fast food should be avoided by people with high cholesterol. Quoted from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, excessive consumption of fast food can increase the risk of high cholesterol. Fast food has the risk of accumulating fat in the body and causing disturbances in blood sugar regulation.
2. Processed meat
Other high-cholesterol foods that need to be avoided are processed meats, for example chicken nuggets, sausage, or hot dog. Excessive consumption of processed meat can increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. Quoted from the Journal of Oncotarget, consumption of 50 grams of processed meat per day has a risk of heart disease by up to 42 percent.
3. Offal
Offal or internal organs of animals, such as kidneys, liver, lungs and tripe, are high cholesterol foods, so people with high cholesterol need to limit or avoid them. In addition, offal contains saturated fat which is harmful to health.
4. Fried
This is because fried foods, especially with oil that has been used repeatedly, cause an increase in saturated fat in the blood, so it needs to be limited because it increases the risk of various diseases, such as stroke and heart disease.
5. Muffins
Even though it is delicious to be consumed as a snack, the fact is that muffins are made from whole eggs, milk, and filled with chocolate chips Plus it contains saturated fat which is harmful to health. This also applies to other types of cakes with similar ingredients. Quoted from the journal Nutrients, high levels of saturated fat in the body increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer. Therefore, you should consume healthier snacks, such as vegetables or fruit, which are low in cholesterol.
6. Margarine
Many people assume that margarine is better than butter, because it is made from unsaturated vegetable oils. However, this assumption is not entirely correct. This type of margarine, such as hard margarine, turns out to be more dangerous for heart health than butter. This is because margarine is high in trans fats which come from partially hydrogenated oils.
7. Hamburgers
patty deep cow hamburger are processed meats that are high in cholesterol. Besides that, hamburger generally filled with other ingredients, such as cheese which is high in cholesterol. Therefore, people with high cholesterol should limit these foods to control cholesterol levels.
Those are 7 cholesterol food restrictions that you need to apply to lower high cholesterol levels. Consult with your doctor to find out the right diet so that cholesterol levels remain normal.