8 Surprisingly Healthy Foods That Have High Cholesterol (And Why You Shouldn't Worry)

When it comes to food and health, advice is always evolving. One thing that hasn’t changed is how confusing cholesterol can seem. Many of us grew up hearing that eating high-cholesterol foods would clog our arteries and raise our heart attack risk, so we learned to say no to foods we actually enjoyed. Fast-forward to today, and nutrition science tells a more empowering story: the relationship between the food you eat and the cholesterol in your blood is much more complex than those old warnings made it seem.

1. Myth #1: Cholesterol In Food Isn't What You Were Told

For decades, eating foods rich in cholesterol was nearly synonymous with harming your heart. But current science paints a different picture. Dietary cholesterol (the kind found in foods) is not a direct highway to high cholesterol in your blood for most people. The body carefully manages its own cholesterol production, often making less when you eat more. For the majority of healthy adults, shifts in dietary cholesterol only have a modest effect on blood cholesterol levels. Instead, saturated and trans fats play a bigger role in influencing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

2. Eggs

Eggs have long been in the spotlight—sometimes as a health villain, sometimes as a breakfast hero. A single large egg contains about 185 milligrams of cholesterol, found primarily in the yolk. Decades ago, experts advised strict limits on egg consumption, fearing a spike in blood cholesterol. But more recent, large-scale studies have shown that for most healthy people, eating eggs in moderation does not increase the risk of heart disease. Eggs bring powerful health bonuses, too: they’re packed with high-quality protein, B vitamins, vitamin D, lutein, and choline, supporting brain and eye health.