Guide to Low
Cholesterol Foods
Cholesterol is found only in foods of
animal origin, such as milk, cheese,
meat, fish, poultry and eggs.
Plant foods, such as fruits, oatmeal,
nuts, vegetables, and vegetable short-
enings, do not contain cholesterol.
Cholesterol is not
the same as fat
Cholesterol and fat are often men-
tioned together, but they are not the
same thing. A food may be high in fat
but contain no cholesterol. Peanut
butter is a good example. Although it
is high in fat, it contains no choles-
terol because it comes from the
peanut plant. Hydrogenated coconut
oil is another example.
In animals, cholesterol is part of the
cell membrane structure of all types
of cells. Removing the skin from
chicken removes most of the fat, but
only some of the cholesterol. Trim-
ming the visible fat from a pork chop
removes 20 percent of the fat but only
10 percent of the cholesterol.
Because cholesterol is an integral part
of animal cells, all animal muscle is
similar in cholesterol content. Fish,
chicken, turkey, beef, and pork vary
widely in fat content but have fairly
equal amounts of cholesterolabout
20 milligrams per ounce of meat.
In dairy foods, however, the amount of
cholesterol depends on the amount of
fat. Milk is secreted from animal cells.
It is not made of cells like meat. It
has no cholesterol-containing cell
membranes. But, because cholesterol
is fat-soluble, it rides with the fats in
milk and milk-based foods. The more
fat a dairy product contains, the more
cholesterol it will also contain.
North Central Regional Extension Publication 335
Sponsored by the Extension Services of Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Lincoln University, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Ohio. In
cooperation with Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Washington, D.C.
March 1995
cholesterol
How to identify high choles-
terol foods
The two most concentrated sources
of cholesterol are liver and eggs. The
liver makes cholesterol. Egg yolks
contain an abundant supply of
cholesterol for the new cells of the
developing chicks.
To summarize, we can give this
general ranking.
High cholesterol: Organ meats, eggs.
Moderate cholesterol: Meats, milk
products with medium to high fat
content.
Low cholesterol: Milk products with
low fat content.
Very low cholesterol: Skim milk
products.
No cholesterol: Plant foods.
Normal blood
cholesterol levels
A consensus conference convened
by the National Institutes of Health in
December 1984 published guidelines
to identify moderate and high risk
levels of blood cholesterol as
measured in milligrams per deciliter
(mg/dL).
Age Moderate High
(years) risk risk
2-19 >170 >185
20-29 >200 >220
30-39 >220 >240
40+ >240 >260
Individuals whose blood cholesterol
levels are below the risk levels proba-
bly do not need to reduce their food
cholesterolunless their current
intake is higher than the American
Heart Association recommendation of
300 mg per day (average). And thats
likely because the average American
eats 400 to 500 mg cholesterol daily.
Even for individuals with identified high blood Cholesterol content of selected foods
cholesterol, however, the need to reduce food Food Cholesterol
cholesterol is less important than the need to (3 1/2 ounces) (mg)
reduce calories, total fat, and saturated fat (see Beef, prime rib, lean only 81
Pm-1341, How To Eat Less Fat ). lean and fat 86
Beef, ground, extra lean 84
Test your knowledge regular 90
Which of the following foods contain cholesterol? Pork, loin, lean only 81
lean and fat 84
ham, regular 59
Cottage cheese Yes No
bacon 85
Soybean oil margarine Yes No Bologna 59
Apple pie Yes No Bratwurst 60
Fish Yes No Lamb, lean only 122
Blueberry muffin Yes No lean and fat 122
Veal cutlet 128
Answers: Cholesterol is present in cottage Duck 89
cheese, fish and a muffin (contains egg and Chicken, fried with skin 167
milk). Soybean oil margarine does not contain roasted, no skin 85
Turkey, dark meat 85
cholesterol. Apple pie contains cholesterol if the
light meat 69
pastry is made with lard but not if the pastry is Catfish, breaded, fried 81
made with vegetable shortening. Cod, baked 55
Haddock, baked 74
Be alert for foods that are advertised as choles- Salmon, baked 87
terol-free. Remember that all plant foods, for Tuna, oil packed, drained 31
example peanut butter, are naturally cholesterol- water packed, drained 42
free, regardless of the brand. Crab 59
Clams 67
For more information Shrimp, breaded, fried 177
boiled 195
These publications are available at county
Lobster, boiled 72
extension offices: Eggs, whole (2 eggs) 548
Cholesterol in Your Body, Pm-1338 yolk (6 yolks or 1/3 cup) 1602
Foods and Your Cholesterol, Pm-1339 white 0
How To Eat Less Fat, Pm-1341 Milk, whole 14
How To Eat Out Without Raising Your Cholesterol, 2% 7
Pm-1342 skim 2
What You Should Know About Triglycerides and Yogurt, part skim 6
Fatty Acids, Pm-1343 whole 13
Cheese, cheddar 107
swiss 93
mozzarella, part skim 54
This publication is not intended to provide medical pasturized processed cheese food 64
advice or a therapeutic diet for existing health cream 111
problems. For advice on personal health matters neufchatel 76
consult with a physician or registered dietitian. cottage, creamed 15
dry curd 7
A list of references is available upon request from Ice milk 7
B-1 Curtiss, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa Ice cream, regular 44
premium 59
50011.
Sherbet 7
Cream 137
Non-dairy creamer, dry 0
Non-dairy whipped topping 0

Source: Human Nutrition Information Service, 1976-1987.

Composition of Foods. Handbooks 8-1 through 8-16.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

In cooperation with NCR Educational Materials Project

Prepared by Elisabeth Schafer, Ph.D., Iowa State University
extension nutrition specialist and Diane Nelson, Iowa State
University extension communications specialist.
Programs and activities of the Cooperative Extension Service are
available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion,
sex, age or disability.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work. Acts of
Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and Cooperative Extension Services of
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Robert M. Anderson, Jr., director, Cooperative Extension Service,
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa 50011.