High cholesterol
 
Eating the right kinds of food can go a long way to helping you manage your cholesterol. And the good news is that this doesn't mean boring, flavourless meals. It just involves making a few adjustments and being more careful about what foods you choose. 
 
It's important to remember that not all cholesterol is bad for you. 'Good' high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol does important tasks, such as repairing cell membranes and removing fat from blood vessels. It's 'bad' low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that can be a problem for your health. 
 
LDL cholesterol builds up in your body in two ways. Firstly, it is consumed in foods that come from animals, such as meat, eggs, butter and milk. And secondly it is manufactured by the body from the lards and saturated oils that are found in many processed foods. 
 
Controlling your LDL cholesterol levels (and keeping your HDL cholesterol levels high) needn't be complicated. Remember to stick to the following simple guidelines: 
 

• Eat more soluble fibre. This can help to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and is found in foods such as oats, oranges, pears, brussels sprouts, carrots, dried peas and beans.
  
  
• Enjoy seafood. Lean fish and shellfish contain less saturated fat than red meat and poultry, so make a good substitute.
  
  
• Opt for lean. If you want to eat meat, keep it lean and go for skinless poultry.
  
  
• Choose fat-free dairy products. Avoid whole milk, cream and ice cream.
  
  
• Watch out for 'invisible bad fats'. Hydrogenated fats (also known as hydrogenated oil or trans fats) are found in biscuits and other everyday baked goods and can be converted into LDL cholesterol by your body. Always read the contents when buying processed foods so you can avoid foods with hydrogenated fats in them. These are not to be confused with mono and polyunsaturated fats, which are generally considered to be 'good'.
  
  
• Avoid high fat meats. These include offal (such as kidney or liver), processed meats, untrimmed fatty meats, duck and goose.
  
  
• Stay away from other high fat products. Butter, egg yolks and cheese, as well as oils and spreads high in saturated fats, are all also high in LDL cholesterol.
  
  
• Steam or grill. Stay away from fried foods, which can absorb large amounts of fat or oil during the cooking process.