Too much cholesterol can block your blood vessels, the NHS cautions, which is mainly caused by eating fatty foods.
When a blood vessel to the heart is blocked, a heart attack ensues; when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked, a stroke occurs.
A small amount of fat is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet, as it can help the body to absorb vitamins A, D and E.
Saturated fats, however, are directly linked to raised cholesterol levels, so the consumption of this type of fat should be minimised.
Foods high in saturated fats include:
- Fatty cuts of meat
- Meat products, including sausages and pies
- Butter, ghee, and lard
- Cheese, especially hard cheese like cheddar
- Cream, soured cream and ice cream
- Chocolate confectionery
- Biscuits, cakes, and pastries.
With this in mind there are four meals, popular at lunchtime, that people with high cholesterol should think twice about:
- Cheese sandwich
- Ham sandwich
- Sausage roll
- Bacon sandwich
So what would be a good option for lunch if you are hoping to lower your cholesterol levels?
Heart UK, the cholesterol-lowering charity, recommends a few “quick and easy” lunches.
For example, their red chilli and bean soup is a filling one-pot lunch packed with nutritional goodies.
Another option is vegan tuna in jacket potato, which only takes 15 minutes to make.
The NHS encourages people to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables to help lower cholesterol.
Additional frequent ingredients should include nuts and seeds, oily fish – such as mackerel and salmon – and brown rice, wholegrain bread, and wholewheat pasta.
Some people may be prescribed statins to help lower their cholesterol, and while effective, diet still plays a huge part in your stroke and heart attack risk.
In addition to dietary adjustments, you can lower your cholesterol by exercising more, not smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption.
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