15 Foods That Can Cause High Cholesterol, Ranked by Saturated Fat Content Dietitians share which foods have the most high-cholesterol causing saturated fat. 

The statistics for high cholesterol are alarming, so it’s essential for your health to know the 15 foods that can cause high cholesterol, ranked by saturated fat content. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Nearly 94 million U.S. adults age 20 or older have total cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dL. Twenty-eight million adults in the United States have total cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dL.” While there are unmodifiable risk factors like age and family history, there are things we can do to help prevent the deadly condition like eating a healthy diet. One is targeting saturated fats, which tend to increase cholesterol levels in the blood. “People who are at risk for high cholesterol are those who have a diet high in saturated fats, obese individuals, and those with a genetic predisposition known as familial hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolemia,” Jesse Feder, a personal trainer and registered dietitian with My Crohn’s and Colitis Team tells us. “Saturated fats are the bad fats that raise your LDL or bad cholesterol levels. This can lead to high cholesterol over time. People who are overweight or obese, typically have diets high in fats/calories that can lead to increased cholesterol levels.”

The CDC says having high cholesterol, “raises the risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death, and for stroke, the fifth leading cause of death.” Having healthy lifestyle choices and limiting harmful foods that have saturated fat lowers the risk of high cholesterol. The American Heart Association “recommends aiming for a dietary pattern that achieves 5% to 6% of calories from saturated fat. For example, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 of them should come from saturated fat. That’s about 13 grams of saturated fat per day.” To help kickstart a healthier way to eat, Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with dietitians who reveal which foods are high in saturated fat and can cause high cholesterol, and ranked them from bad-for-you to the #1 worst. Read on to see what made number one.

Trista Best, a Registered Dietitian, Environmental Health Specialist and Adjunct Nutrition Professor tells us, “1 Cup Nature’s Path Panda Puffs (Organic) has 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 3 grams of fiber, 9 grams of added sugar. 1 Cup Quaker Cap’n Crunch has 0.5 grams of saturated fat, <1 gram of fiber, 16 grams of added sugar. Cereals made with added sugar and low amounts of fiber place the consumer at risk for chronic illnesses like high cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The lack of fiber makes sugary cereals useless in removing cholesterol circulating in the blood as opposed to a high fiber cereal made with whole grains and little to no added sugar. When selecting a cereal for breakfast or even as a snack consumers should be aware of the nutrient content as these cereals are often high in saturated fat as well, even those marketed as being healthy. Read nutrition labels and ingredients lists for nutrients to avoid when considering your cholesterol levels.” 

Nichole Dandrea, MS, RDN, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with Purely Planted and Author of The Fiber Effect tells us, “Egg yolks contain almost 5 grams of fat, including 1.6 grams of saturated fat per large egg per the USDA nutrient database. Most people use 2–3 eggs in dishes like an omelet or a scramble, increasing the saturated fat to 3.2 to 4.8 grams per serving. What’s more, eggs are high in a compound called phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is converted by intestinal bacteria to trimethylamine, which is then oxidized in the liver to trimethylamine N-oxide or TMAO. Studies show that subjects with high TMAO levels may be at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.” 

According to Hunnes, “Red meat increases cholesterol levels for several reasons. It is inflammatory – which in and of itself may increase LDL (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol levels. Red meat also increases TMAO and IGF-1 (an inflammatory marker). We are constantly learning more that there are relationships between inflammation, TMAO, and increased cholesterol levels.” The Mayo Clinic says, “Wondering which cuts of beef are the leanest? Check the label. The labels on cuts of beef are considered nutrition claims, so they’re subject to government regulations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates whether cuts of beef can be labeled as “lean” or ‘extra lean’ based on their fat and cholesterol content.”

Hunnes tells us, “These can be fried in trans fats (or saturated fats) and that factor alone can increase cholesterol levels. In addition to that, most deep-fat fried foods are often coated with white flour/starch and are high in simple-carbohydrate to begin with, which in our body, acts like sugar. This increases IGF-1, insulin, and other inflammatory markers in the blood, which is associated with increased cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.”

Lisa Richards, a nutritionist and author of the Candida Diet says examples of processed foods include Hungry Man Boneless Fried Chicken Meal, which has 7g saturated fat / 1120 mg sodium. Processed foods have been targeted as the main source of saturated fat in the standard American diet. The inflammatory nature of processed foods makes them a sneaky culprit of high cholesterol. They are made with refined carbohydrates, added sugar, and hydrogenated oils most often. These characteristics raise the amount of saturated fat and inflammatory ingredients of processed foods. When the body is chronically inflamed it can both raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol while lowering HDL (good) cholesterol. The amount of sodium in many processed foods, especially frozen convenience meals, are another way this category of food can be detrimental to heart health.”