Learning you have high cholesterol can be stressful. You may worry about giving up your favourite foods or changing your whole diet. But you usually only need to make a few focused changes to your daily eating habits to lower your cholesterol, often sooner than you think.
High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke that you can control. This means your food choices truly help you protect your health.
Knowing which foods raise cholesterol helps you make better choices without feeling like you’re missing out. Small, steady changes can lead to big improvements in your cholesterol and heart health.
Why Some Foods Raise Cholesterol
Foods can affect your cholesterol in different ways. Some have saturated fats, which raise LDL (bad) cholesterol. Others have trans fats, which raise LDL and lower HDL (good) cholesterol at the same time.
Foods high in sugar can also cause cholesterol problems, but in a different way. If you eat more calories than you need, especially from sugar and refined carbs, your liver turns the extra into fat. This can raise triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and lower the helpful HDL.
The foods listed below are the main reasons for high cholesterol in the diet. You don’t have to cut them out completely but eating them less often and in smaller amounts can really help.
Foods That Raise Cholesterol Levels
1. Pastries and Desserts
Cakes, biscuits, doughnuts, and pastries are made with refined flour, sugar, and unhealthy fats. This mix raises LDL cholesterol and doesn’t offer much nutrition.
These treats are high in calories but don’t keep you full. If you often eat more calories than you burn, your body stores the extra as fat, which can raise your cholesterol.
Having a pastry once in a while is fine. But if you eat sweet treats every day, your cholesterol will likely go up. Try saving desserts for special occasions and pick fruit with yoghurt or a few nuts when you want something sweet.
2. Fried Foods
Fried foods get their crispy texture from being cooked in oils that are often high in saturated or trans fats. Foods like fish and chips or fried chicken soak up a lot of oil during cooking.
Many restaurants and takeaways reuse frying oil several times. This breaks down the oil and creates harmful compounds that are even worse for your heart and cholesterol.
Fried foods are also usually high in salt, which can raise blood pressure and increase heart risk, especially if you already have high cholesterol.
If you enjoy fried foods, try baking them in the oven with a little olive oil instead. You’ll get a similar crunch with much less saturated fat.
3. Foods Containing Trans Fats
Trans fats are the most harmful type of fat for your cholesterol. They raise LDL, lower HDL, and cause inflammation in your blood vessels. This mix greatly increases your risk of heart disease.
Many countries have banned artificial trans fats, but they can still be found in some margarines, packaged baked goods, and processed snacks. Look for “partially hydrogenated oils” on ingredient labels, as this means trans fats are present.
Small amounts of natural trans fats are found in some meat and dairy, but these are not as harmful as the artificial ones. The trans fats to avoid are those added during food processing.
4. Processed Meats
Bacon, sausages, hot dogs, and salami are high in both saturated fat and salt. Both raise your risk of heart disease, and together they make the risk even higher.
Eating processed meats regularly is also linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer, according to the World Health Organisation. The preservatives and curing methods in these meats create compounds that can harm your health beyond just raising cholesterol.
If you often eat processed meats, try replacing them with lean chicken, turkey, beans, or fish a few times a week. These options give you protein without the extra saturated fat and salt.
5. Full-Fat Dairy Products
Whole milk, full-fat cheese, cream, and full-fat yoghurt have more saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol. You don’t have to give up dairy, but choosing lower-fat versions is a good idea for most people.
Reduced-fat or semi-skimmed dairy still gives you calcium, protein, vitamin D, and other important nutrients. The main difference is that they have less saturated fat, which helps your cholesterol.
If switching to lower-fat dairy is hard, try mixing half whole milk with half semi-skimmed for a few weeks, then switch fully. Most people get used to the change quickly.
6. Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil
Palm oil is used in many packaged foods because it’s cheap, keeps well, and lasts a long time. But it’s high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol.
Palm kernel oil has even more saturated fat than regular palm oil. These oils can be listed on ingredient labels as “vegetable oil,” “vegetable shortening,” or “hydrogenated vegetable oil.”
Check ingredient labels to spot these oils. When you can, choose products made with olive oil, sunflower oil, or rapeseed oil instead.
7. Sugary Drinks
Fizzy drinks, sweetened fruit juices, energy drinks, and fancy coffee drinks have lots of sugar but don’t fill you up. Your body absorbs this sugar quickly, and any extra is turned into fat in your liver.
This process raises triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and makes it harder to control your blood sugar. Drinking sugary drinks often is strongly linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Switching just one sugary drink a day for water, unsweetened tea, or sparkling water can improve your cholesterol in a few weeks. If you want some sweetness, add a slice of lemon, cucumber, or some berries to your water.
8. Fatty Cuts of Red Meat
Red meat isn’t always bad, but the portion size and cut are important. Fatty cuts like ribeye, T-bone steaks, and high-fat minced beef can raise LDL cholesterol if you eat them often.
Lean cuts of red meat give you iron, protein, B vitamins, and even a little omega-3. The key is to pick lean cuts, keep portions moderate (about the size of your palm), and avoid eating red meat every day.
When you eat red meat, add plenty of vegetables or whole grains to your meal. The fibre in these foods helps lower cholesterol absorption.
Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol
Limiting the foods above is important, but what you add to your diet matters just as much. These foods can help lower your cholesterol:
Oats and barley have beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that binds to cholesterol in your gut and helps remove it from your body. A bowl of porridge for breakfast is an easy way to get this benefit.
- Vegetables and fruits give you fibre and antioxidants. Leafy greens, apples, pears, citrus fruits, and berries are especially good. Try to eat at least five portions a day.
- Nuts, especially almonds and walnuts, have healthy unsaturated fats that help your cholesterol. A small handful (about 30g) is a great snack.
- Beans and legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and black beans provide plant-based protein and lots of soluble fibre. Adding them to your meals a few times a week supports healthy cholesterol.
- Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines have omega-3 fatty acids that lower inflammation and support your heart. Try to eat them twice a week.
- Olive oil is one of the best choices for heart health. Use it instead of butter or other solid fats for cooking or on salads.
Making Sustainable Changes
You don’t have to cut out all foods that raise cholesterol. What matters most is your overall eating habits over time.
Start with one or two changes that feel doable. You might switch from whole milk to semi-skimmed, choose grilled chicken instead of fried, or add another portion of vegetables to your dinner.
Give each change a few weeks to become a habit before adding another. This slow approach is easier to stick with than changing everything at once.
Most people notice better cholesterol levels within 6 to 12 weeks of steady diet changes. Your doctor can check your levels again to see your progress.
If diet changes alone don’t get your cholesterol to a healthy level, you may need medication as well. But even if you take medicine, healthy eating is still important for your heart.
Building Better Habits
High cholesterol often improves with changes to your diet. The foods you pick each day directly affect your cholesterol and your long-term heart health.
You can’t change your genes, but you can change your daily habits. That’s where you have real power to protect your health. Cut back on foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, and added sugars. Eat more fibre-rich whole foods, healthy fats from fish and nuts, and lots of vegetables.
Small changes add up over time. Pay attention to how you feel as your habits change. More energy, better sleep, and improved cholesterol all support each other. Every positive choice helps your heart, even if it seems small at first.
