Cholesterol Content of Common Foods

Where does Cholesterol come from? How can I reduce or control my cholesterol levels?

Have you ever wondered what exactly is the difference between humans and animals when it comes to the types of foods we can and cannot eat. This article provides some very interesting information for you to think about.

Note: Cholesterol is a component manufactured by a liver and is necessary in humans and animals in the right quantity and balance of both High and Low Density Lipoproteins called HDL and LDL respectively. Conclusion, if your food source did not have a liver, then the result is no liver, no cholesterol. A plant food diet is therefore the best method for quickly reducing overall cholesterol levels.

One double blind cross-over study conducted by Dr Sirtori CR1, Pazzucconi F, Colombo L, Battistin P, Bondioli A, Descheemaeker K. and published in Br J Nutr. 1999 Aug;82(2):91-6 showed the difference between an animal and a plant source (Soya) of protein on Cholesterol. ….. Each dietary supplement was given for 4 weeks, with a 4-week interval between treatments, Plasma lipid levels were monitored every 2 weeks during each dietary sequence. The concomitant dietary treatment, which had been followed for a long time by all patients, was carefully monitored throughout the study. The soya supplementation reduced plasma total cholesterol level by 6.5%, when given first, and by 7.4% when given after cows’ milk. When given first, cows’ milk resulted in a small, non-significant reduction of plasma cholesterol level (-3.9%), and when given after soya, it changed total plasma cholesterol to a minimal extent (-1.6%). Changes in total and LDL-cholesterol levels after 2 and 4 weeks of soya v. cows’ milk treatment were, thus, respectively -6.1, -7.0 and -6.2, -7.8% (both P < 0.05). These first data from a double-blind study confirm a significant cholesterol-lowering effect of soyabean protein, even when only partly replacing animal protein in the diet, in individuals with extreme plasma cholesterol elevations.

Reference: Double-blind study of the addition of high-protein soya milk v. cows’ milk to the diet of patients with severe hypercholesterolaemia and resistance to or intolerance of statins :  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10743480

To simplify the point, lets take a look at the cholesterol contents in animal Vs plant based foods.

ANIMAL FOOD Cholesterol Content (in milligrams per 100 gram portion)		PLANT FOOD Cholesterol Content (in milligrams per 100 gram portion)
Egg, whole	550	All Grains	0
Kidney, Beef	375	All Vegetables	0
Liver, Beef	300	All Nuts	0
Butter	250	All Seeds	0
Oysters	200	All Fruits	0
Cream Cheese	120	All Legumes	0
LArd	95	All Vegetable Oils	0
Beefsteak	70
Lamb	70
Pork	70
Chicken	60
Ice Cream	45

Source :         J, Pennington, author

Food Values of Portions Commonly Used. Harper and Row, 14th Edition, New York, 1985