As of: March 13, 2024, 5:16 a.m
By: Natalie Hull-Deichsel
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To reduce the risk of hardening of the arteries and heart attack or stroke, you should include foods with unsaturated fatty acids in your diet.
1 / 15Freshly brewed coffee with an extra touch of milk foam – for many a must at home or in their favorite café.
But both coffee and milk are not only delicious, they also pose a risk to the blood vessels.
© David Aguero/Imago
2 / 15The cafestol and kahweol contained in coffee can increase blood cholesterol.
These substances from the coffee fruit inhibit enzymes that break down cholesterol in the liver.
It's better to drink the stimulant filtered rather than unfiltered, as most of Cafestol and Kahweol remain in the filter.
© Britta Pedersen/dpa
3 / 15For some people, the daily breakfast egg is simply a must for a good start to the day.
Although eggs are healthy with zinc, iron and selenium, they are also rich in saturated fatty acids, which promote harmful LDL cholesterol in the body.
The body receives around 280 milligrams of cholesterol per egg.
If your cholesterol is already too high, you should initially avoid eggs, at least until the levels go down again.
And even after that, it is recommended not to eat an egg more than three to four times a week.
Basically, the cholesterol content of an individual food, such as eggs, has less of an impact on the cholesterol level in the blood - rather, the type and amount of dietary fat consumed as a whole is decisive, according to the “German Heart Foundation”.
© Peter Widmann/Imago
4 / 15Start the day with a healthy breakfast consisting of oatmeal, bananas, apple and blueberries, yummy!
But be careful - if your cholesterol level is already too high or you want to make sure that it doesn't rise any further, when choosing milk, pay attention to low-fat products with 1.5 percent fat content.
It is better to avoid whole milk as it is rich in saturated fatty acids, which increase the harmful LDL cholesterol in the body.
© Shingo Tosha/AFLO/Imago
5 / 15People with high cholesterol levels should also be careful with fatty yogurt and quark.
The high proportion of saturated fatty acids influences the LDL concentration in the blood.
It is better to pay attention to a lower fat content, no more than three percent.
© keko64/Imago
6 / 15Kefir or buttermilk are also rich in saturated fatty acids, which, when consumed regularly, increase LDL cholesterol and thus increase the risk of vascular deposits and cardiovascular diseases.
© Fascinadora/Imago
7 / 15The delicious croissants literally invite you to dip them into your coffee.
But puff pastry products such as croissants in particular contain unsaturated fatty acids and trans fats, which promote high cholesterol levels.
© Jo Kirchherr/Imago
8 / 15Sweet or fatty spreads often contain palm fat, which, if consumed regularly, can increase harmful LDL cholesterol in the body.
This promotes deposits in the vessels, which in the worst case can then block them.
The result can be a dangerous thrombosis, which leads to a heart attack or stroke.
© Monkey Business/Imago
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9 / 15 If, on the other hand, you regularly prefer bread and butter without spread, this could also have an impact on your cholesterol level sooner or later.
Butter consists of approximately 16 percent water and 80 to 82 percent milk fat.
This is made up of 54 percent saturated, 23 percent monounsaturated and around two percent polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acids are thought to be responsible for the increase in harmful LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Eating less or no butter reduces the risk of vascular plaque, arteriosclerosis and therefore heart attacks and strokes.
© hecke/Imago
10 / 15If you want to fry your dishes less with unsaturated fatty acids from butter, you may want to use coconut fat, which is supposedly healthier.
But be careful: coconut fat alone consists of 92 percent saturated fatty acids.
Unsaturated fatty acids from sunflower oil, rapeseed oil or olive oil are recommended for cooking and frying.
© HeikeRau/Imago
11 / 15For lunch we sometimes have a roll with cheese or sausage on hand.
What looks and tastes delicious can be critical for the cholesterol level in the body.
In particular, cheeses with a high fat content (over 3 percent) and fatty sausages contain saturated fatty acids, which increase the lipid content in the blood and vessels.
© matka/Imago
12 / 15Or would you rather have a quick portion of French fries at lunchtime?
Fries contain over 2.3 grams of saturated fatty acids per 100 grams, which increases the risk of high cholesterol and vascular deposits when consumed regularly.
In addition, ready meals and so-called “fast food”, such as French fries, pizza and burgers, usually contain trans fats.
Trans fats have been proven to increase cholesterol levels, cause vascular deposits and thus promote cardiovascular diseases.
© Vaivirga/Imago
13 / 15How about a hearty roast beef for dinner again, with vegetables and potatoes tossed in butter?
If you only enjoy such dishes once in a while, it may not hurt your cholesterol levels.
But regular consumption of meat high in saturated fat can cause your cholesterol to rise sharply, increasing the risk of vascular plaque and cardiovascular disease.
© Monkey Business/Imago
14 / 15 If you prefer pizza for dinner, you might not be doing your blood vessels any good.
Here too, the size is crucial.
Eating pizza every now and then doesn't do any lasting damage to your cholesterol levels, but you may need to be careful if you eat it regularly, especially if it's highly processed pizza.
These are frozen and fast food pizzas that are made with other processed foods such as sausage and cheese.
Researchers now know that high consumption of highly processed foods is associated with increased LDL cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
© TonyGravante/Imago
15 / 15What's for dessert today or as a snack in between?
Ice cream is almost always possible for most people.
But here too, caution is advised if the ice cream flavors contain a high proportion of saturated fat from milk and cream.
If you tend to have high cholesterol levels, it is advisable to replace the ice cream with fruit.
© Shotshop/Imago
Butter, meat, sausage, chocolate, whole milk - foods that contain saturated fatty acids and can increase the concentration of harmful LDL cholesterol in the blood and vessels.
It's not necessarily just the amount of saturated fatty acids in the food itself that matters, but also how often you eat it.
The dose ultimately makes the difference.
What is important for the body is a balanced ratio between the “good” HDL cholesterol and the “harmful” LDL cholesterol.
An optimal cholesterol level is between 1.8 and 2.0 g per liter of blood.
The proportion of “good” cholesterol should be over 0.45 g, the value of “bad” LDL should not exceed 1.6 g per liter of blood.
High Cholesterol: Can You Eat Eggs?
“Exactly how eggs affect cholesterol levels cannot be answered in general because cholesterol intake depends very much on the rest of the diet and other factors and not just on the consumption of eggs,” explains Univ.-Prof.
Dr.
med.
Ulrich Laufs, cardiologist from the Scientific Advisory Board of the
German Heart Foundation eV
“The regulation of cholesterol levels in the blood occurs primarily through the liver and not through diet.”
Keeping your cholesterol levels low or lowering them isn't difficult: adjust four of your habits to bring your fat levels back into the normal range.
The LDL cholesterol in the blood and vessels increases when foods containing saturated fatty acids are consumed frequently and regularly.
If it can no longer be balanced by the “good” HDL, the risk of fatty deposits in the vessels (plaques), hardening of the arteries and, in the worst case, thrombosis, heart attack or stroke increases.
A change in diet to foods with unsaturated fats such as vegetables, fruit, whole grain products, lean meat and low-fat dairy products is recommended.
Cholesterol levels can also increase due to carbohydrates
Study results – on which the
Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations e.
V. (ABDA)
refers - provide evidence that it could be more beneficial for people with genetically determined elevated cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) to avoid carbohydrates.
A low-carbohydrate diet may be most effective, especially if you have an increased risk of heart disease.
Instead of just avoiding certain oils and fatty and highly processed foods, people with high cholesterol should limit foods that raise blood sugar - such as bread, potatoes and sweets.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.