Cholesterol
What about cholesterol?
Cholesterol and
fat are not the same thing.
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance present in all animal foods - meat, poultry,
fish, milk and milk products, and egg yolks. Both the lean and fat of meat and
the meat and skin of poultry contain cholesterol. In milk products, cholesterol
is mostly in the fat, so lower fat products contain less cholesterol. Egg yolks
and organ meats, like liver, are high in cholesterol. Plant foods do not contain
cholesterol.
Dietary cholesterol, as well as saturated fat, raises blood cholesterol levels
in many people, increasing their risk for heart disease. Some health authorities
recommend that dietary cholesterol be limited to an average of 300 mg or less
per day. To keep dietary cholesterol to this level, follow the Food Guide
Pyramid, keeping your total fat to the amount that's right for you.
It's not necessary to eliminate all foods that are high in cholesterol. You can
have three to four egg yolks a week, counting those used as ingredients in
custards and baked products. Use lower fat dairy products often and occasionally
include dry beans and peas in place of meat.
