For long-term health, some fats are better than others. Good fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Bad ones include industrial-made trans fats. Saturated fats fall somewhere in the middle.

Heart disease risk. Your body needs healthy fats for energy and other functions. But too much saturated fat can cause cholesterol to build up in your arteries (blood vessels). Saturated fats raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Fats that are tightly packed with no double bonds between the fatty acids are called saturated fats. There are some exceptions, but most are solid at room temperature.

Saturated fat is found in:

• butter, ghee, suet, lard, coconut oil and palm oil.
• cakes.
• biscuits.
• fatty cuts of meat.
• sausages.
• bacon.
• cured meats like salami, chorizo and pancetta.
• cheese.

Cholesterol has a more complex chemical structure when compared to fats. The amount of unsaturated and saturated fat in your diet can influence your levels of total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL. Saturated fat, the kind found in beef, butter, and margarine, was thought to raise the “bad cholesterol” LDL levels.

A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health:

• Reduce saturated fats. Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol.
• Eliminate trans fats.
• Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Increase soluble fiber.
• Add whey protein.

There is lots of research showing that extra virgin olive oil (unrefined and not heat treated) is one of the best fats for health due to the fatty acids and antioxidants it contains. Some of the benefits include a reduced risk of heart disease.

15 Foods to Avoid if You Have High Cholesterol

1. Red Meat. Red meats like beef, lamb, and pork tend to contain more cholesterol and saturated fat than other meats.
2. Butter.
3. Egg Yolks.
4. Ice Cream.
5. Cream Cheese.
6. French Fries.
7. Fried Chicken.
8. Hamburgers.

Fruits like avocados and apples, and citrus fruits like oranges and bananas can help lower cholesterol. Cholesterol is a material produced in the liver that your body needs to make hormones, vitamin D and other substances.

Coffee. Your morning cup of joe just might give your cholesterol level an unwanted jolt. French press or Turkish coffee lets through cafestol, which raises levels of LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. Espresso does too, but serving sizes are small, so there’s less to worry about.

Start Your Day Right: 8 Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Lower Your Cholesterol

1. Oatmeal. A bowl of oatmeal packs 5 grams of dietary fiber.
2. Almond milk.
3. Avocado toast.
4. Egg white scramble with spinach.
5. Orange juice.
6. Whey protein smoothie.
7. Smoked salmon on a whole-wheat bagel.
8. Apple bran muffins.

Beans and whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat have more fiber and don’t spike your blood sugar. They will lower cholesterol and make you feel full longer.

Include things such as veggies, fruit, whole grains, lean proteins, and nuts. Lean meats like turkey and chicken are preferred as well. Do be careful about adding too much cheese, bacon, or certain condiments, though. All of these could add fat and calories to your lunch.

1. Oats. An easy first step to lowering your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber.

Summary Oat bread made from oats and whole-grain flour boasts the fiber beta-glucan, which may help lower cholesterol and has been linked to a number of health benefits.

These include vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats. It’s best to limit or avoid certain high-cholesterol foods, such as fast foods, processed meats, fried foods and sugary desserts.

Whole-grain oats: Best bet for lowering cholesterol.

Fortunately for everyone who loves peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut butters, these creamy treats are fairly healthy. And as long as they don’t contain hydrogenated fat, nut butters — including peanut butter — won’t cause problems for your cholesterol levels.

Eating just one and one-half cups of cooked oatmeal a day can lower your cholesterol by 5 to 8%. Oatmeal contains soluble and insoluble fiber – two types that your body needs. Insoluble fiber, which is also found in the skins of many fruits, helps keep us regular.

Studies have shown that consuming honey lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol by 6–11% and lowers triglyceride levels by as much as 11%. Honey may also increase HDL (good) cholesterol by about 3% ( 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ).

Both green and black tea can help lower cholesterol levels. Green tea is prepared from unfermented leaves and black tea from fully fermented leaves of the same plant. Researchers believe that catechins, a type of antioxidant found in tea, are responsible for its cholesterol-lowering effect.

8. Ginger. One 2014 study showed that ginger can lower your total cholesterol and triglycerides levels, while a study conducted in 2008 showed that it can reduce your LDL cholesterol levels and boost your HDL cholesterol. You can take ginger as a supplement or powder or simply added, raw, to food.

The science is clear that up to 3 whole eggs per day are perfectly safe for healthy people. Summary Eggs consistently raise HDL (the “good”) cholesterol. For 70% of people, there is no increase in total or LDL cholesterol. Some people may experience a mild increase in a benign subtype of LDL.

In fact, it does a better job of managing your cholesterol levels than diets that are low in trans and saturated fats. These fats are the usual culprits when it comes to cholesterol. That’s where potatoes come in….A healthier potato.