In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleAvoid Dietary CholesterolDietary Changes Fix ItCut Out All Dietary FatsYou’ll Have SymptomsHigher Body WeightIt Happens When You’re OlderOther Tips
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Avoid Dietary Cholesterol
Dietary Changes Fix It
Cut Out All Dietary Fats
You’ll Have Symptoms
Higher Body Weight
It Happens When You’re Older
Other Tips
Close
Photo:Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Getty Images. EatingWell design.
About 25 million adults over the age of 20 in the United States have high cholesterol, so if you’re trying to figure out what you can do to lower yours, you’re not alone.While some believe dietary cholesterol is the main cause, others think only genetics are to blame. Misinformation about cholesterol is rampant, and that can make it hard to take action.
Don’t worry, though—we spoke with the dietitians, and we’re breaking down some of the most common myths about high cholesterol with expert-backed insights. You’ll learn what truly affects your cholesterol levels, actionable tips to better manage them and science-based strategies for improving your heart health.
The #1 Habit to Break If You’re Trying to Lower Your Cholesterol, According to Dietitians
Myth #1: Avoid Dietary Cholesterol
Many people report that they’ve been told to cut out eggs and other foods that contain cholesterol after being diagnosed with high cholesterol. That’s because, at one time, experts believed that dietary cholesterol caused high cholesterol.
However, the latest research shows that dietary cholesterol has a relatively small effect on blood cholesterol levels, whereassaturated fatand trans fat are much more influential in raising LDL (aka the “bad” cholesterol) levels.
“Instead of avoiding cholesterol-rich foods altogether, I tell my clients to limit saturated fats found in fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products,” saysMarissa Beck, M.S., RDN, a dietitian and the founder of REVV Health. It’s also a good idea to focus on adding heart-healthy fats, like those in nuts, seeds, avocados and fatty fish, she adds.
Myth #2: Dietary Changes Can Fix High Cholesterol
You Just Found Out You Have High Cholesterol—Here Are 4 Things a Cardiologist Recommends Doing
Myth #3: You Need to Cut Out All Dietary Fats
You may have heard that you need to cut out all fats from your diet if you have high cholesterol, but that simply isn’t true. “While some fats can play a role in the development of high cholesterol, not all fats are created equal,” saysCarly Hart, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian.
Research shows that consuming too much saturated fat and trans fat can increase the risk of developing high cholesterol, but unsaturated fats may actually help to minimize that risk.“Unsaturated fats have anti-inflammatory properties and can help to increase your HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind) and lower your LDL (the “bad” kind), reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke,” Hart adds.
Myth #4: You Can Tell If You Have High Cholesterol By Your Symptoms
Most people with high cholesterol don’t have any symptoms, so it’s hard to know if you have it without testing. Some people with extremely high cholesterol may show physical signs of the condition, typically fatty deposits and xanthelasmas—yellow deposits around the eyelids. However, in more moderate cases, symptoms can be rare. That’s why it’s important to have regular checkups with your primary care doctor to monitor your cholesterol levels.
Myth #5: You Can Only Have High Cholesterol at a Higher Body Weight
You might think that only people in larger bodies can get high cholesterol, “but it’s possible to have high cholesterol at any size because it’s related to things like genetics, family history and the foods we eat,” saysMandy Willig, Ph.D., RD, owner and chief scientific officer at TW Education.
It’s important to have your cholesterol levels checked regularly regardless of body size. This means every five years for healthy adults over the age of 20, or every year if you have diabetes or a family history of heart disease. Monitoring your lab work allows you to catch any problems early on so you can address them and make any necessary changes.
Myth #6: You Don’t Need to Worry About Cholesterol Until You’re Older
“High cholesterol can develop at any age and often starts young, especially in those with a family history of heart disease,”Alexandria Hardy, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian at Pennsylvania Nutrition Services, tellsEatingWell.In fact, about 7% of U.S. children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 have high total cholesterol.
Ideally, you shouldn’t wait until you’re diagnosed with high cholesterol to start being mindful of your eating pattern and lifestyle. Build heart-healthy habits early, like including morehigh-fiber foods, limiting saturated fats andadded sugars, exercising regularly and managing stress.
Hardy recommends encouraging kids and adolescents with elevated cholesterol to stay active. Running around at the park with friends, jumping on a trampoline or joining a sports team may also helpboost healthy HDL cholesterol.
What’s the Difference Between Saturated Fat and Unsaturated Fat?
Other Tips for Lowering Cholesterol
Changes to your eating habits, exercise routine and other lifestyle changes can help lower cholesterol. But in some instances, lifestyle modifications aren’t enough to make a significant impact and your doctor may recommend adding medications to your cholesterol management plan. Here are some habits you can get started on now to help lower your risk:
The Bottom Line
High cholesterol is more common than you think, but managing it starts with separating fact from fiction. Focus on increasing your fiber intake, adding heart-healthy fats and getting regular exercise. Remember, lifestyle changes can make a difference, but monitoring your cholesterol and working with your doctor are important for creating an effective plan for long-term success.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Cholesterol Facts.Fernandez ML, Murillo AG.Is There a Correlation between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol? Evidence from Epidemiological Data and Clinical Interventions.Nutrients. 2022;14(10):2168. doi:10.3390/nu14102168Maki KC, Dicklin MR, Kirkpatrick CF.Saturated fats and cardiovascular health: Current evidence and controversies.J Clin Lipidol. 2021;15(6):765-772. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2021.09.049American Heart Association.Added Sugars.Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?.Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912von Zimmermann C, Winkelmann M, Richter-Schmidinger T, Mühle C, Kornhuber J, Lenz B.Physical Activity and Body Composition Are Associated With Severity and Risk of Depression, and Serum Lipids.Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:494. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00494National Institute of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary Heart Disease.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Cholesterol Facts.Fernandez ML, Murillo AG.Is There a Correlation between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol? Evidence from Epidemiological Data and Clinical Interventions.Nutrients. 2022;14(10):2168. doi:10.3390/nu14102168Maki KC, Dicklin MR, Kirkpatrick CF.Saturated fats and cardiovascular health: Current evidence and controversies.J Clin Lipidol. 2021;15(6):765-772. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2021.09.049American Heart Association.Added Sugars.Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?.Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912von Zimmermann C, Winkelmann M, Richter-Schmidinger T, Mühle C, Kornhuber J, Lenz B.Physical Activity and Body Composition Are Associated With Severity and Risk of Depression, and Serum Lipids.Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:494. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00494National Institute of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary Heart Disease.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Cholesterol Facts.Fernandez ML, Murillo AG.Is There a Correlation between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol? Evidence from Epidemiological Data and Clinical Interventions.Nutrients. 2022;14(10):2168. doi:10.3390/nu14102168Maki KC, Dicklin MR, Kirkpatrick CF.Saturated fats and cardiovascular health: Current evidence and controversies.J Clin Lipidol. 2021;15(6):765-772. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2021.09.049American Heart Association.Added Sugars.Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?.Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912von Zimmermann C, Winkelmann M, Richter-Schmidinger T, Mühle C, Kornhuber J, Lenz B.Physical Activity and Body Composition Are Associated With Severity and Risk of Depression, and Serum Lipids.Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:494. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00494National Institute of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary Heart Disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High Cholesterol Facts.
Fernandez ML, Murillo AG.Is There a Correlation between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol? Evidence from Epidemiological Data and Clinical Interventions.Nutrients. 2022;14(10):2168. doi:10.3390/nu14102168
Maki KC, Dicklin MR, Kirkpatrick CF.Saturated fats and cardiovascular health: Current evidence and controversies.J Clin Lipidol. 2021;15(6):765-772. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2021.09.049
American Heart Association.Added Sugars.
Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?.Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912
von Zimmermann C, Winkelmann M, Richter-Schmidinger T, Mühle C, Kornhuber J, Lenz B.Physical Activity and Body Composition Are Associated With Severity and Risk of Depression, and Serum Lipids.Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:494. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00494
National Institute of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Coronary Heart Disease.
