Adequate cholesterol is necessary for the growth of healthy cells in the body. However, high cholesterol can cause various chronic diseases. If someone has high cholesterol, they are at a higher risk of developing chronic coronary heart-related diseases.

Our lifestyle, workout routine, and diet have a huge role to play in our cholesterol levels. On one hand, various foods spike bad cholesterol and on the other, many foods can provide healthy cholesterol or even lower cholesterol.

Having high cholesterol can restrict one from enjoying their favorite foods. In this article, we discuss some common food alternatives for foods that have high cholesterol.

Here are 7 food alternatives for foods with high cholesterol:

1. Organ meats (instead of processed red meat)

Organ meats such as liver, etc. are a great source of good cholesterol and numerous other nutrients that benefit the body. In fact, organ meats have been proven to lower the risks of developing heart-related diseases.

2. Popcorn (instead of chips)

Popcorn made at home with olive oil or other vegetable oils is a great snack for people with high cholesterol. However, do not mistake popcorn served at movie theatres for healthy snacks. Store-bought or theatre popcorn are often loaded with butter and trans fats, both of which are extremely harmful to the heart and further increase high cholesterol. Furthermore, it is a great alternative to chips and other packed snacks which are also often high in trans fat.

3. Olive oil (instead of butter)

As discussed above, olive oil and various other vegetable oils are a great alternative to butter. Olive oil is a great addition to your diet if you have high cholesterol. Vegetable oils have been proven to lower bad cholesterol in the blood.

4. Berries (instead of candies)

Berries as well as various other fruits such as oranges, apples, etc. are a much healthier alternative to candies. Berries and various fruits are also high in a fibre called pectin. Pectic has been proven to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.

5. Frozen yogurt (instead of ice cream)

Frozen yogurt and even full-fat yogurt (in moderation) are packed with various nutrients such as protein, calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and so on. It is a much healthier dessert alternative for ice creams. Ice creams are often high in sugar and can also higher cholesterol levels.

6. Nuts (instead of unhealthy snacks)

Nuts are another great source of protein for people that have high cholesterol as they might be advised to avoid saturated meats (protein source). Nuts are also a much healthier alternative to unhealthy snacks such as chips, packed nachos, etc.

7. Food made from scratch (instead of junk & processed foods)

The best way to eat healthily is to prepare food from scratch. Most processed or junk foods are very high in trans fats, saturated fats, sodium, and sugar, all of these substances spike our cholesterol levels.

In conclusion, doing your research on food can help you navigate healthier options and substitutes for foods that might be increasing your cholesterol. Almost all junk foods and highly processed foods are high in cholesterol.

We encourage you to cook things at home instead of buying ready-to-eat. Cookies, cakes, pizza, etc. are all high in trans fats that spike cholesterol. In addition to this, we encourage you to partake in physical activities to better your cholesterol levels. Finally, we advise you to seek one-on-one guidance from a health professional regularly.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.