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How Much Cholesterol Should One Consume Daily?

People with normal LDL cholesterol should limit their cholesterol intake to 300 mg daily. Eating just one egg will add 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol to your body. That's in addition to the other types of cholesterol your body manufactures. If you have normal LDL cholesterol levels, that one egg almost meets the daily maximum limit. But individuals who have high LDL levels shouldn't even eat that much, according to the American Heart Association.

  1. Cholesterol

    • Cholesterol can be manufactured in the human body as well as ingested through the foods and fats that we eat. Therefore, if an individual is not aware of their existing cholesterol levels, it could be easy for them to consume too much dietary cholesterol each day. Since high cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease and heart attack, knowing your current cholesterol levels can help you determine what foods should be eaten daily to maintain healthy levels---and what foods should be avoided.

    Daily Consumption

    • For individuals with normal LDL cholesterol levels (100 to 129 mg/dL), a daily maximum of 300 mg of dietary cholesterol consumption is fine. Hence, if you are fond of egg yolks, it only takes one to practically meet the entire day's suggested maximum consumption. However, egg whites do not contain cholesterol---and are a good source of protein---if you just have to have an egg.

    Maximum Level for High LDL

    • Anyone who has a high LDL cholesterol level (130 mg/dL and above)---or has a history of heart disease---should limit their daily dietary intake of cholesterol to 200 mg. The best way to do this is to fill your diet with fruits and vegetables and to limit meat intake to low-fat options like skinless poultry. Limit the meat portion of your meal to three ounces. Better yet, eat at least two meals per week of fish, instead of other meats, for your protein needs.

    Good Dietary Cholesterol Options

    • Eating only three ounces of low-fat meat (minus fatty skin) once per day---or eating fish---will help keep down the daily dietary cholesterol consumed. But the benefit of consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables cannot be emphasized enough, as these are cholesterol free. In addition, consuming foods high in fiber (oatmeal, beans, rice bran) will help to keep daily cholesterol consumption in the appropriate range, too.

    Considerations

    • Saturated and trans fats are higher in cholesterol than their healthier counterpart, monounsaturated fats. Therefore, when trying to consume no more than the daily maximum cholesterol limit, these higher fats should be avoided. Candy, packaged cookies, crackers and cakes generally contain mostly saturated and trans fats.

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