Dietary Cholesterol

Our bodies make too much cholesterol when we eat too much saturated fat in our diet. Saturated fat is the kind of fat found in animal-based foods such as meat and dairy products.

We also get some cholesterol directly from animal-based foods in our diet such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. Plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains do not contain cholesterol. Due to the high saturated fat content of the average diet, more than one-half of American adults have blood cholesterol levels that are too high.