“Low cholesterol” products
Reducing the amount of cholesterol in the diet is generally a good idea. Dietary guidelines established by the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend that an individual consume less dietary cholesterol (cholesterol obtained through food rather than manufactured in the liver) than the average person (particularly the average man) is currently consuming.

In general, people are advised to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day. Those people who already have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease (e.g, obesity, smoking or diabetes), are advised to eat less than 200 milligrams of cholesterol a day.

Individuals who want to lower their cholesterol often choose to eat food products that are marked as being  “low-cholesterol”. However, not all products packaged with “low cholesterol” or even “no cholesterol” labels are as healthy as they sound. Some of these products may still be high in saturated fat or trans fat, which can raise cholesterol levels higher than eating high-cholesterol foods. They may also contain high levels of sugar or salt, which are also detrimental to health.

Therefore, pay careful attention to levels and types of fats when seeking low-cholesterol foods. An increasing number of packaged foods (and even beverages) have added plant sterols, which have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. All individuals should carefully read the Nutrition Facts that are listed on food labels when comparing products.

Garlic
Although garlic has been touted for years as a way to reduce LDL cholesterol, although medical opinion has long been divided over the issue. In 2007, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that there was little evidence to suggest that garlic plays any part in reducing LDL cholesterol. However, garlic is thought to provide other heart-health benefits, such as thinning the blood and slowing the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

If a patient and physician decide that garlic supplements might be helpful, choose supplements that are well coated (enteric coated). This coating will help prevent the garlic from being broken down within the stomach before it is passed into the small intestine for absorption. Also, all vitamin and herbal supplements should be taken only after consulting with a physician.

Red meat
Researchers continue to study the effects of red meat on cholesterol and heart disease. For years, red meat has been avoided because of its high fat and cholesterol content. In studies, research has shown that meats such as beef, pork and veal produce a greater increase in blood cholesterol levels than fish.

However, a recent study suggests that lean cuts of red meat (e.g., beef) are comparable to white meat (e.g., chicken) in their effect on cholesterol levels. While research continues, most experts agree that the best choice is still fish or skinless poultry (e.g., chicken or turkey).