This is a FAST ACCESS VERSION of a RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FACT SHEET. Because of the mode of transmission it is possible that certain graphics intended to be included with the original FACT SHEET have been deleted. You can obtain the complete FACT SHEET from any county office of RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. CHOLESTEROL Audrey C. Burkart, Ed.D., R.D., CHE Specialist in Food and Nutrition WHAT IS IT? * Cholesterol is a compound that is related to the lipid (fat) family of nutrients and is found in every cell in the body. * The liver produces about 80 percent of the body's cholesterol. About 20 percent comes from dietary sources. * Cholesterol travels through the body via the blood attached to a protein. These cholesterol/protein packages are called lipoproteins. * Genetics partially determine the amount of cholesterol found in the blood. Other factors affecting the blood cholesterol level include diet, age, sex, weight, exercise, family history, stress, alcohol, uric acid blood levels, and season of the year. * Every physical examination should include a blood test for cholesterol. WHAT IT DOES * In the body, cholesterol is part of: (1) the bile acids which are needed for the digestion of fats and, (2) the structure of brain and nerve cells. Cholesterol also plays a role in the production of sex and other hormones. * Cholesterol is also part of a hard substance called plaque that can build up in the arteries causing them to become narrow. When this happens, atherosclerosis develops. When arteries become narrow, the blood supply is reduced and the risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke is increased. HOW MUCH CHOLESTEROL SHOULD COME FROM THE DIET? The American Heart Association recommends no more than 300 milligrams per day. The average diet contains 600- 800 mg per day. WHERE IS IT FOUND? * Cholesterol is found in animal foods that contain fat. Therefore, eating fewer high-fat foods from animal sources, or foods prepared with such fats, can help to lower blood cholesterol level. The following chart lists the cholesterol value of some foods: ______________________________________________________________ FOODS SUGGESTED CHOLESTEROL/ SERVING SIZE SERVING Milligrams ______________________________________________________________ Fruit juices, nectars, cocktails, drinks, & ades 1/2 to 3/4 cup 0 Fruits fresh, canned, frozen 1/2 cup 0 Vegetables fresh, canned, frozen (made without cream sauces or gravies, battered or friend in animal fat) 1/2 cup 0 Pasta and rice 1/2 to 3/4 cup 0 Cold and hot cereals 1/2 to 3/4 cup 0 White and yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup 0 Vegetable oils any amount 0 Margarines made with vegetable oils 2 tsp. 0 Egg white any amount 0 Dried peas and beans 1/2 to 3/4 cup 0 Breads, biscuits, rolls 1 slice, 1 roll 1-5 Milk and milk products, low-fat 1 cup, 1 ounce 5-20 Danish, sweet rolls, buns, muffins 1 7-90 Milk and milk products, regular 1 cup, 1 ounce 10-30 Finfish 3 oz raw 10-110 Shellfish 3 oz raw 30-200 Butter 1 tbsp. 31 Poultry (chicken and turkey) 3 oz raw 40-50 Beef, lamb, pork (lean only) 3 oz raw 65-90 Egg yolk 1 275 Liver (beef) 3 oz fried 410 ______________________________________________________________ TIPS ON HOW TO REDUCE YOUR CHOLESTEROL INTAKE * Season cooked vegetables with herbs, spices, or lemon juice rather than with sauces or butter. * Broil or bake meats rather than frying. * Serve low and nonfat milk and dairy products. * Eat fewer commercially prepared baked goods and mixes that contain whole milk and eggs. * Serve liver and other organ meats only occasionally. * Serve lean fish, poultry, and meat. * Include more dried peas and beans as protein foods in menus. HELPFUL REFERENCES * The American Heart Association Cookbook; 1973; David McKay Company, Inc., New York. * American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association: Family Cookbook Vol. II; 1987; Prentice Hall Press, New York. (Includes cholesterol values of recipes.) * Information in this reference appears with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION is implied.