Five healthy foods that could raise your cholesterol levels, nutritionist urges warning

From Greek yoghurt to granola, certain healthy staples could be packed with saturated fat and sugar, raising your cholesterol levels, according to an expert.

Whether you treat yourself to a greasy burger or cheesy chips covered with mayonnaise, certain food choices are an obvious cholesterol red flag. However, when you fill your fridge with foods that are marketed as healthy, you don’t expect your cholesterol to raise. Worryingly, five seemingly healthy foods could be putting your arteries at risk, according to a nutritionist.

Dr Rodney Foale, Consultant Cardiologist, from the Harley Street Clinic part of HCA Healthcare UK, said: “Eating too much of foods that are high in saturated fats such as processed meat and dairy can raise the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – also known as the bad cholesterol – in our blood.

“A single fatty meal won’t put you at risk of heart disease nor is it likely to change your cholesterol levels or test results.

“But over time, a diet high in saturated fats and carbohydrates can greatly increase your risk.”

Rob Hobson, Registered Sports Nutritionist from Healthspan, shared that certain healthy foods could also be quietly raising your high cholesterol.

Greek yoghurt

The nutritionist explained that a 125-gram pot of Greek yoghurt can contain around 8.4 grams of saturated fat, which makes this healthy staple high in the culprit.

He said: “Eating foods that have too much saturated fat, and too little unsaturated fat, changes the way the liver handles cholesterol.”

Eventually, having too much saturated fat will raise your levels of bad cholesterol – the culprit responsible for hiking your risk of heart disease.

“Simply swap to a lower-fat version of Greek yoghurt,” Hobson added. “It is generally just as thick and tasty.”

Coconut oil

Labelled as a healthier fat alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste, coconut oil is high in saturated fat, with one tablespoon containing as much as 10 grams.

Hobson said: “Coconut oil has been shown to raise cholesterol levels – the good and the bad kinds – more than other plant-based oils like olive or canola.

“The best oil for your health is olive oil – lots of research has linked it to good heart health – and it actively lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol and raises HDL (good) cholesterol.”

Prawns and eggs

Around 140 grams of prawns contain 210mg of cholesterol, while one large egg contains about 240mg of cholesterol.

Hobson said: “Most people don’t need to cut down on the cholesterol found naturally in foods such as prawns and eggs.

“[But] for some people, such as those with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), high cholesterol or at high risk of cardiovascular disease, it is recommended that they keep cholesterol levels from food down to no more than 300mg per day (200mg for people with FH).”

According to the charity Heart UK, eggs should be limited to three or four weekly and prawns to once or twice per week.

Granola and health bars

Often labelled as a healthy breakfast alternative or a snack, granola and health bars can contain very high amounts of sugar, depending on the exact brand.

Hobson said: “The ingredient list may not say sugar per se, but it could be in one of its many other disguises such as honey or fruit syrup.

“When you eat too much sugar your liver makes more LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol.

“The extra calories from the sugar you eat also result in an increase in triglycerides which are blood fats that play a role in your cholesterol health.”

The nutritionist concluded that there is room in a balanced diet for all types of foods, so cutting down on fatty and sugary culprits should be enough.

“You can also make food swaps for more cholesterol-friendly alternatives,” he added.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1756011/high-cholesterol-diet-risk-greek-yoghurt-prawns-granola