5 Top Foods You Should Avoid Eating in Winter to Control Your Cholesterol Level

Winter is the time when your cholesterol level may fluctuate. This is because your body needs calories to warm it up and this makes you want to eat more. It is no surprise that reports also prove that you can witness a drastic increase in your cholesterol levels in colder months [1].

Another reason for this is inactivity and sluggishness. During the summer, you tend to be more active. However, the cold weather may keep you from working out and being physically active. There’s also a higher risk of snacking for fun while staying indoors. Consuming high-cholesterol foods during this time can pose a big threat to your health.

So, it is always better to avoid foods with high cholesterol [2]. Instead, consume foods that lower cholesterol fast. A few foods you can include in your low-cholesterol diet include:

• Fenugreek seeds
• Oats
• Garlic
• Nuts
• Citrus fruits
• Legumes
• Fatty fish

While these are foods you should include in your diet, it is important to know about certain bad cholesterol foods. These are the cholesterol foods to avoid if you want to be safe from ailments such as stroke and heart disease. Read on to know more.

Which high-cholesterol foods to avoid?

The following foods must not be in your diet if you have high cholesterol:

Red Meat

Red meat is high in bad cholesterol, so people with high cholesterol should avoid it. The cholesterol in red meat will clog your arteries, leading to heart-related problems.

Egg Yolks

Egg yolk contains good and bad cholesterol. However, people with high cholesterol should avoid egg yolks as the amount of bad cholesterol will outweigh the benefit of the good.

Cheese

Cheese contains saturated fats, which increase the LDL in your body. These are bad cholesterol that causes clogged arteries and heart problems. Moreover, cheese also has bad cholesterol, making it worse to consume. 

Fatty Fish

Even though fish tend to be high in Omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish contains Omeg-6 fatty acids. These omega-6 fatty acids can cause inflammation, leading to cardiovascular diseases. 

Butter

Butter is a major source of saturated fat and cholesterol. Consuming butter regularly can make your cholesterol level shoot up. Moreover, some studies have found that consuming butter increases likely hood of a stroke by 50%. [1]

Full-Fat Yoghurt

Full-fat yoghurt also has a high cholesterol content. So consuming it daily may lead to high cholesterol, and people with high cholesterol should eliminate it from their diets. Moreover, full-fat yoghurt also contains high amounts of calories and sugar, leading to poor health. 

Food to avoid with high cholesterol

Avoid having Fried Foods

Winter is the time for snacking on deep fried foods, be it pakoras, fries or potato chips. While they taste delicious, fried foods are high in calories and can cause harm. Another matter of concern is that these foods are rich in trans fats. These fats increase bad cholesterol in your body and may also increase the risk of heart ailments, diabetes and obesity [3]. Most bakery products, margarine and vanaspati ghee also contain trans fatty acids. Fried foods form a part of high cholesterol diet, so avoid them for good health in the winter.

Minimize Eating Processed Meats

When meat is preserved using techniques like curing, salting, canning or drying, it is called processed meat. Processed meats like hot dogs and sausages are rich in cholesterol. They increase LDL cholesterol in your body, increasing the risk of heart ailments. It is best if you limit the consumption of such foods in the winter. The presence of harmful chemicals in them can also cause cancer. Being dependent totally on processed meats can result in conditions such as:

• Stomach cancer
• Heart diseases
• Hypertension
• COPD

Don’t Indulge Too Much in Desserts

Winter is the time when people love having gulab jamun, halwa, kheer and other desserts like cupcakes and pastries. However, these are unhealthy foods that are rich in cholesterol, calories and added sugars. All these ingredients can result in obesity and other health ailments. So, try to limit your consumption of desserts. Since these foods contain zero nutritional value, your body is deprived of nutrients like high protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. During winter, this is even more important as you may also be less active. Having healthier alternatives like fruits may help minimize your sweet cravings.

Reduce Your Belly Fat by Saying no to Fast Food

Consuming fast foods too often is one of the major reasons of chronic diseases like obesity, heart ailments and diabetes. When you munch on fast foods regularly, not only will your cholesterol levels increase, but there may be also an accumulation fat around your belly. Inflammation becomes high and there will no regulation of blood sugar levels in your body. Eating fresh meals cooked at home helps minimize LDL levels and body fat accumulation too.

Lower Your Cholesterol Level by Avoiding Cheese

Though cheese is packed with the goodness of calcium and proteins, be aware of the fact that it contains saturated fats. Cheese also contains too much salt, which can increase your blood pressure. High amounts of saturated fats can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases too. So, limit the amount of cheese you have in the winter to keep your cholesterol levels in check.

FAQ

What are the worst foods for high cholesterol?

The worst foods for high cholesterol would be red meat, butter, cheese, egg yolk, and deep-fried foods. 

What reduces cholesterol quickly?

Foods with high soluble fibre content, including fruits and vegetables, can help reduce cholesterol quickly. This is because the fibres reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the bloodstream. 

What should I eat if I have very high cholesterol?

You should mostly eat fruits and vegetables and other plant-based foods. Moreover, it would be better to drink soy milk instead of dairy as soy milk has low saturated fats. 

Are eggs bad for high cholesterol?

Eggs are not bad; egg yolks have good and bad cholesterol. So you can eat eggs after removing the yolk. 

Does milk increase cholesterol?

Milk has saturated fats, so full-fat milk may increase your cholesterol levels. However, skim milk is safe and won't increase your cholesterol. 

What is cholesterol in food? This question is something that remains unfamiliar to many. It is nothing but the amount of cholesterol present in foods, especially animal foods. This is called dietary cholesterol. Though there is no study supporting the fact that dietary cholesterol can result in health ailments, it is better to keep a close watch on what you eat. Consume a low cholesterol diet so that symptoms of high cholesterol reduce. Amongst different types of cholesterol, always take care to increase your good cholesterol for better heart health. Connect to top cardiologists on Bajaj Finserv Health to address your health concerns. Book an appointment or a lab test and get your cholesterol checked on time!