Dietary sources

Animal fats are complex mixtures of triglycerides, with lesser amounts of phospholipids and cholesterol. As a consequence, all foods containing animal fat contain cholesterol to varying extents.[9] Major dietary sources of cholesterol include cheese, egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry, and shrimp.[10]

Human breast milk also contains significant quantities of cholesterol.[11]

The amount of cholesterol present in plant-based food sources is generally much lower than animal based sources.[10][12] In addition, plant products such as flax seeds and peanuts contain cholesterol-like compounds called phytosterols, which are suggested to help lower serum cholesterol levels.[13]

Total fat intake, especially saturated fat and trans fat,[14] plays a larger role in blood cholesterol than intake of cholesterol itself. Saturated fat is present in full fat dairy products, animal fats, several types of oil and chocolate. Trans fats are typically derived from the partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fats, and, in contrast to other types of fat, do not occur in significant amounts in nature. Research supports a recommendation to minimize or eliminate trans fats from the diet due to their adverse health effects.[15] Trans fat is most often encountered in margarine and hydrogenated vegetable fat, and consequently in many fast foods, snack foods, and fried or baked goods.

A change in diet in addition to other lifestyle modifications may help reduce blood cholesterol. Avoiding animal products may decrease the cholesterol levels in the body not only by reducing the quantity of cholesterol consumed but also by reducing the quantity of cholesterol synthesized. Those wishing to reduce their cholesterol through a change in diet should aim to consume less than 7% of their daily calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of cholesterol per day.[16]

The view that a change in diet (to be specific, a reduction in dietary fat and cholesterol) can lower blood cholesterol levels [17], and thus reduce the likelihood of development of, among others, coronary artery disease (CAD) leading to coronary heart disease (CHD) has been challenged. An alternative view is that any reductions to dietary cholesterol intake are counteracted by the organs such as the liver, which will increase or decrease production of cholesterol to keep blood cholesterol levels constant.[18] Another view is that although saturated fat and dietary cholesterol also raise blood cholesterol, these nutrients are not as effective at doing this as is animal protein.[19]