Six Worst Foods for Your Cholesterol You Should Avoid

November 18, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the American Heart Association, a diet high in saturated and trans fats is one of the leading causes of high LDL ('bad') cholesterol. This comprehensive guide details the six worst foods for your cholesterol that you should avoid, helping you make smarter dietary choices for better heart health.

Quick Summary

This article identifies six types of foods that negatively impact cholesterol levels due to high saturated and trans fat content. It provides guidance on why these items are harmful, explains their effect on LDL and HDL cholesterol, and offers healthier alternatives to protect heart health.

Key Points

Processed Meats: Cured and processed meats like bacon and sausages are high in saturated fat and sodium, significantly raising LDL cholesterol.
Trans Fats: Found in many commercially baked goods and fried foods, trans fats are the worst type of fat, raising LDL and lowering beneficial HDL cholesterol.
Full-Fat Dairy: Products such as whole milk, cream, and butter are concentrated sources of saturated fat, which increases LDL cholesterol levels.
Deep-Fried Foods: The cooking process of deep frying can add substantial amounts of saturated or trans fats, contributing to artery plaque buildup and heart disease risk.
Red Meat and Organ Meats: Fatty cuts of red meat, along with organ meats like liver, are high in saturated fat and should be consumed in moderation.
Sugary Drinks and Snacks: While not fatty, these items increase triglyceride levels, another type of blood fat that poses a risk to heart health.
Healthier Swaps: Replace unhealthy foods with lean protein, whole grains, unsaturated fats from sources like olive oil, and plenty of fruits and vegetables to lower cholesterol naturally.

Understanding Cholesterol and the Risks of Unhealthy Fats

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is essential for building healthy cells. However, high levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), often called 'bad' cholesterol, can lead to the buildup of plaque in your arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This buildup can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. While the cholesterol in food (dietary cholesterol) has a minimal impact for most people, the saturated and trans fats are the primary culprits for raising LDL cholesterol. The following are six categories of the worst foods for your cholesterol that are high in these unhealthy fats.

The Six Worst Foods for Your Cholesterol

1. Processed and Cured Meats

This category includes items like bacon, sausage, salami, and hot dogs. These products are not only derived from fatty cuts of meat but also contain high levels of saturated fat and sodium from their curing and processing. A high intake of these meats is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and can significantly raise LDL cholesterol. Even seemingly leaner deli meats can be loaded with sodium, making them a poor choice for heart health.

2. Commercial Baked Goods

Pre-packaged pastries, cookies, cakes, and donuts are frequently made with partially hydrogenated oils to increase their shelf life. These oils are the primary source of trans fats, the worst type of fat for your cholesterol, as they both raise LDL and lower beneficial HDL cholesterol. Even though the FDA has banned artificial trans fats, small amounts can still be present in processed foods, and many manufacturers have replaced them with other saturated fats.

3. Full-Fat Dairy Products

Full-fat dairy, such as whole milk, butter, cream, and cheese, are major sources of saturated fat. This type of fat can significantly increase your LDL cholesterol levels. For instance, a single tablespoon of butter contains a substantial amount of saturated fat, quickly adding up throughout the day. While dairy contains essential nutrients like calcium, opting for reduced-fat or fat-free varieties is a better strategy for managing cholesterol.

4. Deep-Fried and Fast Foods

French fries, fried chicken, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings are often cooked in saturated or trans fats. Deep frying adds significant calories, fat, and sodium to foods, contributing to plaque buildup in arteries. Studies have linked regular consumption of fried foods to an increased risk of heart disease and obesity. Fast food burgers and tacos also typically contain high amounts of unhealthy fats and sodium.

5. Red Meat and Fatty Cuts

Fatty cuts of red meat, such as marbled steaks, beef ribs, and lamb, are high in saturated fat. This saturated fat contributes directly to elevated LDL cholesterol levels. While red meat can be a source of protein and nutrients, limiting portions and choosing leaner cuts like sirloin or round can minimize the negative impact on your cholesterol. Organ meats like liver and kidney also fall into this high-cholesterol, high-saturated-fat category.

6. Sweetened Beverages and High-Sugar Snacks

Sugary drinks like soda and high-fructose corn syrup-laden snacks don't contain saturated or trans fats, but they negatively impact heart health by increasing triglyceride levels, a type of fat in the blood. High triglycerides, especially when combined with high LDL and low HDL, contribute to a higher risk of heart disease. These foods also offer little nutritional value and can lead to weight gain, a risk factor for high cholesterol.

Comparison of Unhealthy and Healthy Alternatives

To make heart-healthy choices, consider replacing the worst foods with these smarter options:


Food Category	Worst Choice	Healthier Alternative
Meat	Bacon, sausage, fatty beef	Skinless chicken breast, fish (e.g., salmon), lentils
Baked Goods	Store-bought cakes, cookies, pastries	Whole-grain bread, homemade treats with healthy oils
Dairy	Whole milk, butter, hard cheese	Skim milk, olive oil spreads, reduced-fat cheese
Fried Foods	Fast food fried chicken, french fries	Baked or grilled chicken, oven-baked sweet potato fries
Snacks	Potato chips, sugary drinks	Unsalted nuts, fresh fruit, plain water
Oils	Coconut oil, lard, shortening	Olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil

Conclusion

Making conscious dietary choices is one of the most effective ways to manage cholesterol and promote heart health. By reducing your intake of processed and fatty meats, baked goods with trans fat, full-fat dairy, and high-sugar items, you can significantly lower your LDL cholesterol and support overall wellness. Replacing these items with heart-healthy alternatives, such as lean proteins, whole grains, and unsaturated fats, can lead to better health outcomes and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. For further guidance, consider consulting with a registered dietitian or using resources from organizations like the American Heart Association. Making small, consistent changes can lead to a major positive impact on your long-term health.

A note on cholesterol

While reducing intake of saturated and trans fats is most important, certain foods like egg yolks and shellfish contain high dietary cholesterol. For most people, this has a minimal effect, but those with genetic predispositions like familial hypercholesterolemia may need to be more cautious.

Authoritative Link

For more information on dietary cholesterol and heart health, visit the American Heart Association's guide on fats.

Frequently Asked Questions

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is often called 'bad' cholesterol because it contributes to plaque buildup in arteries. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is 'good' cholesterol because it helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream and transport it back to the liver for disposal.

No, dietary cholesterol, found in foods like eggs, has a minimal impact on the cholesterol levels in your blood for most people. The primary drivers of high blood cholesterol are saturated and trans fats, which affect how your liver processes cholesterol.

Commercially prepared baked goods like cookies, cakes, and pastries are often made with trans fats or saturated fats. However, homemade baked goods can be healthier by using less sugar and opting for healthier oils like olive oil instead of butter or shortening.

Yes, but in moderation. Choose leaner cuts of red meat like sirloin or round, and limit your overall portion size and frequency. Lean meats have less saturated fat compared to fattier cuts.

Sugary drinks do not contain cholesterol but can raise triglyceride levels, another type of fat in the blood that, when elevated, can increase your risk of heart disease. High sugar intake also contributes to weight gain, a risk factor for high cholesterol.

Look for "partially hydrogenated oil" on the ingredients list of processed and packaged foods. Even if the nutrition label lists zero trans fat, small amounts may be present, so checking the ingredient list is the best way to be sure.

A heart-healthy diet focuses on replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats. This includes eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins like fish and skinless poultry. A diet rich in soluble fiber is particularly beneficial.