Each food carries its own content, both from the beneficial side and the detrimental side. Both we can get depending on how we eat the food. Starting from how to cook to how many portions we consume.
One of them is cholesterol content, which is often misunderstood as a source of dangerous diseases. So, what, the hell, is cholesterol? Quoted from Health Line, cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the human body and animal products such as meat, eggs, and milk.
The function of cholesterol itself plays an important role in the production of hormones, vitamin D, and bile needed to digest fat. However, because cholesterol doesn't mix well with the blood, it eventually builds up in the arteries.
Meat is one of the foods to be scapegoated in this case. Quoted from the Health Line page, recent research shows that, for most people, eating healthy foods high in cholesterol is not harmful to health. Moreover, some cholesterol-rich foods also contain important nutrients.
Besides meat, here are five healthy foods that contain cholesterol. Even so, this food is safe, really, for your health if you eat it wisely.
Egg
Cholesterol is derived from animal foods. Eggs are one of them. This food is a nutritious food because it contains high protein. However, on the other hand, eggs also contain high cholesterol. According to research conducted by the USDA, 1 large egg (50 grams) provides 207 mg of cholesterol.
These foods are often avoided so that cholesterol does not rise, but research shows that eggs do not increase cholesterol levels. On the other hand, eating whole eggs can increase HDL cholesterol, or the good cholesterol, which protects the heart.
Cheese
In addition to eggs, there is also cheese which is often considered a trigger for increasing cholesterol in the blood, but this is not proven from research that has been done. According to research, 22 grams of Swiss cheese contains about 20 mg of cholesterol.
In one study, these foods containing calcium, protein, vitamin A, and B vitamins were shown not to increase LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol when compared to the same amount of low fat.
Shell
Seafood such as shellfish, crab and shrimp are excellent sources of protein, B vitamins, iron, and selenium. However, they also include foods that are high in cholesterol. According to USDA research, a 3 ounce (85 gram) serving of canned shrimp has 214 mg of cholesterol.
On the other hand, the bioactive components in shrimp, such as antioxidant carotenoids and the amino acid taurine, also help prevent heart disease and lower bad cholesterol.
Sardines
Sardines are usually sold in cans. This fish is a delicious and practical source of protein that you can eat every day. A 3.75-ounce (92-gram) serving of these minnows contains 131 mg of cholesterol, plus 63% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin D, 137% of the DV for vitamin B12, and 35% of the DV for calcium.
Cooking canned sardines at dawn can be the right choice when you want to eat well but don't want to be complicated. Sardine illustration. (Photo: pinterest.com/indiancurrytrail)
Plus, sardines are a very good source of iron, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, magnesium, and vitamin E.
Full Fat Yogurt
Next, healthy food for the body but contains cholesterol is yogurt. Made from cow's milk, yogurt contains protein, calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and potassium. One cup (245 grams) of full-fat yogurt contains 31.8 mg of cholesterol (22).
If you think yogurt is a high cholesterol food, you are wrong. The reason is, research shows increasing intake of full-fat fermented dairy products with lower bad cholesterol, blood pressure, risk of stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.