Everyone has cholesterol in their blood, but when your cholesterol levels get too high, your risks for a variety of serious diseases can increase dramatically. According to WebMD, high cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup inside your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. Because meat consumption can increase cholesterol levels, you will have to limit your meat intake if you have high cholesterol, however, you can still eat about five to six ounces of meat per day.

High Cholesterol and Eating Meat

If you previously consumed several servings of meat each day, try to cut back to just one. Eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, all of which have low or no cholesterol at all. When it comes to meat, focus on lean protein, including skinless chicken, turkey and fish. The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings per week of fish with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, including salmon, tuna, lake trout and whitefish. Meat should be grilled, steamed or broiled rather than fried.

Meats to Avoid

In particular, cut back on red meat, although you can occasionally enjoy a small steak or burger. Try to completely avoid fatty meats such as sausage, hot dogs, duck, goose and organ meats such as liver, which are especially high in cholesterol. Likewise, processed meats (even processed turkey and chicken) can be very high in cholesterol, so cut these out as well. Finally, although most fish and seafoods offer a great choice, avoid shrimp, which are quite high in cholesterol. Eating red meat, sauage or processed meat daily noticeably increases the possibility of early death, boosting the odds of both cancer and heart issues, according to a study the Washington Post wrote about on March 24, 2009 . A few simple changes in your diet and exercise plans can make a tremendous difference in your quality of life and life span.

Read Labels

Finally, learn to scrutinize labels closely when you're at the grocery store, and to ask questions when you're at a restaurant or deli. Avoid foods that have trans fats or are high in saturated fats. You can still eat meat and get your daily allowance of protein while watching your cholesterol and weight. Healthy choices now will make a big difference later.

Source:

WebMD

Washington Post

American Heart Association

More Information:

WebMD