The call came out of nowhere. Your mother, frantic on the other end, explained your father was having chest pains. She could barely finish a sentence before you heard sirens in the background, and the call abruptly ended. When you found them later at the hospital, your father was embarrassed by the fuss, but your mother was determined to change his lifestyle. You listened to them going back and forth and realized before today cholesterol was never on your mind. You began to make a mental list of terms to learn and things to watch out for, but you’re mainly relieved your dad is ok.
After a big scare, it’s natural to double down and try to eliminate all high cholesterol foods. Find out what cholesterol is and how regulating diet and exercise can benefit everyone in your family. Our clear list of foods to avoid with high cholesterol also gives you delicious replacements and a clear explanation for the older members of your family.
Why Do We Avoid Foods With High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty fluid found in your blood. From a young age, we have cholesterol in our bodies. As we grow older, we might not be able to process it as quickly as before. Our bodies create cholesterol to help build cell membranes and vitamin D.
Avoiding foods high in cholesterol is an essential step to eliminating future health conditions like stroke, heart attack, or diabetes. While this isn’t guaranteed to keep your relatives in their prime, it makes a massive difference. You can also manage factors by researching your family’s medical history and encouraging a healthy diet and exercise routine.
What Are Foods To Avoid For Seniors With High Cholesterol?
Foods that contain a high level of saturated fats are high in cholesterol. You might be surprised to find out that eggs and shellfish are high in cholesterol, even though they have many other great benefits. Find out which other foods to avoid with high cholesterol in our list below.
Shellfish
While you might think you are eating a healthier option by choosing fish instead of meat, beware of clams, crab, and shrimp. These juicy underwater delicacies contain high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol. They should not hold a staple place in your daily diet.
Red Meat
Not all meat is equal when it comes to impacting your cholesterol levels. Red meat and specifically pasture-raised steak contains 62 mg of cholesterol or 20% of your daily intake.
Sardines
Sardines have a wide range of healthy attributes, but they also pack 142 mg of cholesterol. These tiny fish are high in protein, vitamin D, and calcium, but err on the side of caution if you currently have them in your diet.
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Full Fat Yogurt
There has been a yogurt revolution. The options for fat-free or greek are also the wiser choice for people with high cholesterol. Full-fat yogurt contains 32 mg of cholesterol per serving but is also rich in B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium.
Fried Foods
Avoiding fried foods at any cost is beneficial for a healthy diet. They contain trans fats and have been linked to increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Processed Meat
Processed meats are not limited to packaged sandwich meat at the grocery store. It also includes bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. While the link between processed meats and cholesterol can be found in recent studies, we advise you to avoid them.
Ice Cream
The sneaky ingredient that makes ice cream raise your cholesterol levels is trans fat. Review the ingredients list for “hydrogenated oil” as a clue if you should have a scoop or two. Easy healthy replacements for ice cream include greek yogurt or sorbet.
The 12 Oaks Approach
In our communities, we want everyone to have a healthy mind, body, and spirit. We work with a nutrition coach to match all our resident’s dietary needs. We also might find a new recipe that increases our resident’s nutritional intake; without them tasting a difference!
We ensure our team is in the loop of the latest senior health updates and our communities stay on the edge of the latest developments or newest technologies. We offer daily exercise programs and also have space designated for resident meditation.
If you have questions about foods to avoid with high cholesterol or any conditions discussed here, connect with us and learn more.
At 12 Oaks, our team of caring professionals is dedicated to keeping residents safe, engaged, and connected to their families and friends while still leading fulfilling lives. There’s no better place to enjoy the encore season of life than at a 12 Oaks community. For questions or to schedule a visit, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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