Counting Cholesterol
There has been a lot of confusion over cholesterol in the diet. Many people assume that the cholesterol in the foods you eat-eggs, meat and full-fat dairy products like whole milk, butter and ice cream-contributes directly to the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream. Not true. Scientists have known for decades that how cholesterol gets into your blood is quite complex. In fact, saturated fat and transfatty acids are the major dietary determinants of cholesterol in your bloodstream, not the cholesterol you eat. That said, the cholesterol in foods can increase blood cholesterol to some degree, more in some people than in others depending on genetics. Thus, if you’re told you have elevated LDL-cholesterol, you should keep your dietary cholesterol at a maximum of 300 milligrams a day. Fortunately, if you’re already following a diet that’s low in saturated fat, that’s easy to do. Most cholesterol-containing foods are also foods that contain a fair amount of saturated fat. (Eggs are an exception.)
