# Foods that lower cholesterol: a UK guide for men Canonical URL: https://www.hemed.com/blog/foods-that-lower-cholesterol-men Plain-text URL: https://www.hemed.com/blog/foods-that-lower-cholesterol-men/llms.txt Published: 2026-11-10 Modified: 2026-11-10 Author: The HeMed clinical team Topic: Living well Topic URL: https://www.hemed.com/blog/topic/living-well Tags: Nutrition, Cholesterol and heart Reading time: 23 min Publisher: HeMed (https://www.hemed.com/) ## Summary Oat beta-glucan at 3 g a day or more lowered LDL by 0.25 mmol/L in 28 trials. The foods UK guidance backs, how much they help and how to check progress. ## Article A heart-healthy diet can lower cholesterol by swapping saturated fat for unsaturated fat and adding soluble fibre from oats, barley, pulses, fruit and vegetables. The changes are small on average, and they vary from person to person. Only a blood test shows whether yours are working. This guide sets out which numbers food changes and what the trials found. It then covers the foods UK guidance backs, what to eat less of, a sample day and when to see your GP. ### Which cholesterol numbers does food change? Mostly LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of blood fat. LDL is the "bad" cholesterol that can stick to artery walls. HDL is the "good" kind that carries cholesterol you do not need back to the liver. Non-HDL is your total minus HDL, "all the 'bad' cholesterol added together". The NHS guide levels for healthy adults are total cholesterol below 5 mmol/L, HDL above 1.0 mmol/L for men and non-HDL below 4 mmol/L. HEART UK adds LDL below 3.0 mmol/L and non-fasting triglycerides below 2.0 mmol/L. A good target for you depends on your age, health conditions and overall risk, so a clinician sets it. Saturated fat is the type of fat that raises LDL; sugar, alcohol and weight around the middle raise triglycerides. ### How much does diet change cholesterol? Enough to matter, though not enough on its own in every case. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) advises the UK government. In 2019 it concluded that reducing saturated fat "lowers total, LDL and HDL cholesterol" and reduces the risk of cardiovascular events (heart attacks and strokes). It recommended no more than about 10% of dietary energy from saturated fat, replaced with unsaturated fats. A 2020 Cochrane review pooled 15 trials of at least two years in 56,675 adults. Cutting saturated fat reduced combined cardiovascular events by 17%, with small reductions in total and LDL cholesterol and little or no effect on deaths. Bigger cuts in saturated fat brought bigger falls in events. The size of the LDL change is measurable. Across 69 controlled feeding studies of healthy adults, each 1% of energy moved from saturated to polyunsaturated fat lowered LDL by 0.055 mmol/L. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) notes that "the effect of dietary changes can vary from person to person". Some people still need medicine after doing everything right. Genes set part of your baseline: HEART UK says anyone can have high cholesterol, "even if you are young, slim, eat well and exercise". ### What eating pattern does UK guidance point to? A mainly plant-based diet that is low in saturated fat, with unsaturated fats in its place. HEART UK's starting point is "a healthy, balanced and varied diet that's mainly plant-based and low in saturated fat". The NHS says to eat more of: - oily fish, such as mackerel and salmon - olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from them - brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta - nuts and seeds - fruit and vegetables And less of: - meat pies, sausages and fatty meat - butter, lard and ghee - cream and cheese - cakes and biscuits - foods containing coconut oil or palm oil The BHF describes this as "a balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet". For most men the UK guideline figure is simple: no more than 30 g of saturated fat a day. NICE, the body that writes NHS clinical guidance, goes further for people at high risk of or with cardiovascular disease. It advises total fat of 30% or less of energy and saturated fat of 7% or less. Where possible, unsaturated fats such as olive and rapeseed oil replace saturated fat. ### Which foods help lower cholesterol? Oats, barley, pulses, nuts, fruit, vegetables, unsaturated oils and oily fish. The NHS, HEART UK, the BHF and the British Dietetic Association (BDA) name these most consistently. Where a trial or an authorised health claim gives a figure, the table carries it. #### Which fibre-rich foods have the strongest backing? Fibre-rich foods that help lower cholesterol Food | What the evidence says | How much Oats and barley | Beta-glucan, their soluble fibre, forms a gel in the gut that stops some cholesterol being absorbed. At 3 g a day or more, oat beta-glucan lowered LDL by 0.25 mmol/L across 28 trials. | About three servings a day: a 30 g bowl of porridge oats, 3 oatcakes or 75 g of cooked pearl barley. Beans, peas and lentils | Soluble fibre and protein with little saturated fat; swapping them for some meat cuts saturated fat too. | At least four servings a week, 120 to 140 g cooked. Soya foods | Tofu, soya mince and soya drinks "may offer additional cholesterol-lowering benefits", HEART UK says. | In place of some meat or full-fat dairy. Nuts | Unsaturated fats and fibre, and a swap for crisps and biscuits. | A small handful (about 30 g), plain, at least four times a week. Fruit and vegetables | Soluble fibre; beans, aubergine, okra, broccoli, carrots, citrus fruit, berries and prunes are especially rich in it. | At least 5 portions of 80 g a day; fresh, frozen, canned and dried all count. #### What about fats, fish and fortified foods? Fats, fish and fortified foods: what the evidence says Food | What the evidence says | How much Unsaturated oils and spreads | The NHS says there is "good evidence that replacing saturated fats with some unsaturated fats can help to lower your cholesterol level". | Olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil and spreads made from them, in place of butter, lard and ghee, in small amounts. Oily fish | High in long-chain omega-3 fats, which the NHS says can help keep your heart healthy. HEART UK counts it as a swap for fatty or processed meat. | At least 2 portions of fish a week, one of them oily (about 140 g): salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout or herring. Foods with added plant sterols or stanols | Plant compounds that block some cholesterol absorption. The GB nutrition and health claims (NHC) register authorises the statement that 1.5 to 3 g a day lowers cholesterol by 7 to 12.5%. NICE says not to advise them to prevent cardiovascular disease. The BDA agrees, because long-term outcome evidence is insufficient. | HEART UK says there is no extra benefit above 3 g. The BDA says they are not recommended for people without high cholesterol. ### What should you eat less of? Saturated fat first. The BHF's dietitian lists the biggest sources, with the figures: - red and processed meat, about 5 to 10 g of saturated fat per 100 g - butter, lard and ghee, about half saturated fat (a teaspoon has 5 g) - palm oil (about 50% saturated fat) and coconut oil (about 85%), common in spreads, biscuits and cakes - full-fat dairy, about a quarter of UK saturated fat intake - pastries, pies, biscuits, cakes and all chocolate The label helps. More than 5 g of saturates per 100 g is high and marked red; 1.5 g or less is low and marked green. Aim for green or amber. Red and processed meat: if you eat more than 90 g a day (cooked weight), the NHS says to cut down to 70 g. Sugar: HEART UK says added sugars in cakes, biscuits, fizzy drinks and cordials can raise triglycerides. Alcohol: the liver rebuilds it into triglycerides and cholesterol, so drinking raises both. The UK Chief Medical Officers say it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. Spread them over 3 or more days. ### What does a day of eating look like? One example, not a plan. Each item is a food the NHS, HEART UK or the British Dietetic Association names, and portions are yours to adjust. - Breakfast: porridge made with 40 g of oats and semi-skimmed milk, topped with berries and a few walnuts. - Lunch: lentil and vegetable soup with a slice of wholemeal bread, and a satsuma. - Snack: a small handful of unsalted almonds, or a banana. - Dinner: baked salmon with new potatoes, broccoli and a large mixed salad dressed with olive oil. - Drinks: water, tea or coffee, with alcohol inside the 14-unit guideline. Porridge is one of the three daily oat or barley servings HEART UK suggests for 3 g of beta-glucan. Oatcakes or pearl barley later in the day make up the rest. A brisk 30-minute walk on five days reaches the 150 minutes of moderate activity the UK Chief Medical Officers recommend. ### How are weight and cholesterol connected? Closely, and mostly through triglycerides and HDL. HEART UK says carrying too much weight around the middle can raise triglycerides. Losing excess weight with regular exercise "can often lower triglyceride levels significantly". The BHF and the British Dietetic Association both list excess body fat, especially around the middle, among the causes of high cholesterol. Our article on visceral fat in men explains why fat around the organs matters. The effect on LDL is real but modest. A 2020 analysis pooled 73 trials in 32,496 adults with overweight or obesity. After 12 months, each kilogram lost through lifestyle change was linked to LDL 1.28 mg/dL lower, about 0.03 mmol/L. Triglycerides fell 4.0 mg/dL per kilogram, about 0.05 mmol/L, and HDL rose slightly. Those are population averages from trial participants, not a prediction for any one man. ### Why does measuring beat guessing? Because you cannot feel cholesterol. High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms: the NHS says you can only find out from a blood test. The BHF calls it "a hidden risk factor". Measuring also shows whether your changes are working, and genes mean two men on the same diet can get different results. Familial hypercholesterolaemia is an inherited condition the BHF says affects about 1 in 250 people. It causes very high LDL regardless of lifestyle and often goes undiagnosed. Timing matters when you retest. Under the authorised health-claim wording, fortified sterol and stanol foods show their effect within 2 to 3 weeks. The oat beta-glucan trials ran 2 to 12 weeks. NICE's guideline sets no interval for retesting after a change of diet, so ask the clinician who ordered the test when to repeat it. If the numbers stay high despite good habits, that is useful information too. Our guide to what a clinician checks first explains what happens next. ### How does HeMed fit in? HeMed starts with a blood test. You start with a needle-free test of 10 markers across your heart, liver, blood sugar and thyroid. Five of them are the cholesterol markers: total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and the cholesterol ratio. A clinician reviews your blood test first. A retest every 6 months shows what's actually changing. For what each marker means, see how UK doctors read cholesterol results. HeMed does not diagnose or treat the conditions described above. ### When should you see your GP? Ask your GP surgery for a cholesterol test if you have not had one and you are over 40 or overweight. The same applies if high cholesterol or heart problems run in your family. In England, over-40s may be tested at an NHS Health Check. See a GP sooner if a close relative had a heart attack or stroke before 60. Lumps around your knuckles, knees or Achilles tendon are another reason to go. Both can point to familial hypercholesterolaemia. Call 999 for sudden chest pain or discomfort that does not go away, or pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back. ### Frequently asked questions **Do eggs raise cholesterol?** For most people, no. The BHF says dietary cholesterol has "a much smaller effect on blood cholesterol levels than once thought". Saturated fat matters far more, and there is no recommended limit on eggs. NICE removed its reference to restricting dietary cholesterol in 2023. If you have familial hypercholesterolaemia, check with your GP or dietitian, because you may still need to limit dietary cholesterol. **Is porridge good for cholesterol?** Yes, through beta-glucan. A bowl made with 40 g of oats gives about 1.4 g. The BHF suggests two to three portions of oat or barley foods a day to reach 3 g. At 3 g a day or more, oat beta-glucan lowered LDL by 0.25 mmol/L across 28 trials. **How long does it take for diet to lower cholesterol?** It depends on the change. Fortified sterol and stanol foods carry an authorised claim of an effect within 2 to 3 weeks. The oat beta-glucan trials ran 2 to 12 weeks. Ask the clinician who ordered your test when to repeat it. **Can you lower cholesterol without medicine?** Often, to a degree. The NHS says you can lower your cholesterol by eating healthily and getting more exercise, and that some people also need to take medicine. Whether you do is a clinical decision based on your overall risk, not on cholesterol alone. **Does alcohol raise cholesterol?** Yes. HEART UK explains that alcohol is broken down and rebuilt into triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver. It can also produce high triglycerides with low HDL. The UK guideline is no more than 14 units a week, spread over 3 or more days. **Are foods with added plant sterols worth it?** They have been shown to lower cholesterol, but UK guidelines do not recommend them to prevent cardiovascular disease. The GB nutrition and health claims (NHC) register authorises a claim of a 7 to 12.5% reduction at 1.5 to 3 g a day. NICE says not to advise them for prevention, and the BDA says the long-term evidence is insufficient. The BDA adds that they are not recommended for people without high cholesterol. Talk it through with your GP or a dietitian. **Do I need to fast before a cholesterol test?** Most people do not. NICE says a fasting sample is not mandated for a full lipid profile, and HEART UK says UK guidelines no longer recommend one. HeMed provides clinician-led weight management. We do not diagnose or treat high cholesterol or heart disease. This page is general health information, not medical advice. If you are worried about symptoms, speak to your GP, or use NHS 111. Next step: see what the HeMed blood test measures. Sources (34) - NHS, "How to lower your cholesterol", page last reviewed 13 March 2026: "try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat"; "Try to eat more: oily fish, like mackerel and salmon; olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils; brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta; nuts and seeds; fruits and vegetables"; "Try to eat less: meat pies, sausages and fatty meat; butter, lard and ghee; cream and cheese; cakes and biscuits; food that contains coconut oil or palm oil". nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/how-to-lower-your-cholesterol. Accessed 10 November 2026. - HEART UK, "Six ways to give cholesterol-lowering an extra boost" (Cholesterol SMART), no page date shown: "The best place to start is with a healthy, balanced and varied diet that's mainly plant-based and low in saturated fat"; beta-glucan "forms a gel in your gut that grabs hold of some of the cholesterol, helping to stop it being absorbed into your blood", 3 g a day from "three daily servings" such as "A bowl of porridge (30g dry oats or a sachet of instant porridge)", "3 oatcakes" or "A small serving of cooked pearl barley (~75g)"; beans, peas and lentils "at least four servings a week", "around 120-140g cooked"; soya foods "may offer additional cholesterol-lowering benefits"; nuts "a handful at least four times a week", "around 28-30g"; fruit and vegetables especially rich in cholesterol-lowering fibre; plant sterols and stanols "Aim for 1.5-3g", "no extra benefit from having more than 3g a day"; oily fish as a swap for fatty or processed meats. heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol-smart/cholesterol-lowering-foods-1. Accessed 10 November 2026. - Hooper L, Martin N, Jimoh OF, Kirk C, Foster E, Abdelhamid AS. "Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020;8:CD011737 (15 randomised trials, 56,675 adults, interventions of at least 24 months; "reducing dietary saturated fat reduced the risk of combined cardiovascular events by 17% (risk ratio (RR) 0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70 to 0.98)"; "little or no effect of reducing saturated fat on all-cause mortality" or cardiovascular mortality; "small reductions in weight, serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and BMI"; "greater reduction in saturated fat caused greater reductions in cardiovascular events"). doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3. Accessed 10 November 2026. - British Heart Foundation, Heart Matters, "5 cholesterol-lowering foods" (Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietitian), published 2 November 2023: "a bowl of porridge made with 40g of oats will provide around 1.4g of beta glucans. So aim for two to three portions of oat or barley foods a day"; beans, peas and lentils are "good sources of soluble fibre too" and a swap for red and processed meat; nuts are "a tasty and convenient swap for snacks like chocolate, cakes and biscuits", "A portion is a small handful, about 30g"; "the effect of dietary changes can vary from person to person, and we can't control all the factors that affect our cholesterol levels". bhf.org.uk. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "High cholesterol", page last reviewed 13 March 2026: "High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test"; "You can lower your cholesterol by eating healthily and getting more exercise. Some people also need to take medicine." nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol. Accessed 10 November 2026. - British Heart Foundation, "High cholesterol", page updated 16 January 2026: HDL "takes cholesterol that you do not need back to your liver"; non-HDL "takes cholesterol from your liver to cells around your body. If you have too much it gets stuck to the walls of your arteries", "mostly made up of LDL cholesterol"; "Most people with high cholesterol have no symptoms. It's a hidden risk factor"; causes include "living with excess weight, especially round your middle". bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-cholesterol. Accessed 10 November 2026. - HEART UK, "Understand your cholesterol test results", page updated 14 March 2025: non-HDL "is your total cholesterol minus your HDL cholesterol. It's all the 'bad' cholesterol added together"; guide levels for healthy adults of total cholesterol below 5.0, non-HDL below 4.0, LDL below 3.0 and HDL above 1.0 mmol/L for a man; people at higher risk get specific targets from their healthcare professional. heartuk.org.uk. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "Cholesterol levels", page last reviewed 13 March 2026: total cholesterol "Below 5mmol/L", HDL "Above 1.0mmol/L for men", non-HDL "Below 4mmol/L"; "What is a good target level for you depends on things like your age, whether you have any health conditions and your risk of cardiovascular disease"; a GP uses the results with other factors to estimate risk, sometimes as a QRISK score. nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/cholesterol-levels. Accessed 10 November 2026. - HEART UK, "Triglycerides", page updated 3 March 2025: "we should aim for a non-fasting triglyceride level below 2.0mmol/L"; "National guidelines in the UK no longer recommend a fasting blood test"; lifestyle causes include diets high in saturated fats and added sugars and alcohol; "Carrying too much weight around the middle (being 'apple' shape), can raise your triglycerides"; "The combination of losing excess weight and getting regular exercise can often lower triglyceride levels significantly"; "Sugary foods can affect blood triglycerides"; no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol/triglycerides. Accessed 10 November 2026. - HEART UK, "Saturated fat", no page date shown: "saturated fats are the type that raise blood cholesterol"; "Cutting down on foods high in saturated fat and replacing them with foods higher in unsaturated fat can help improve cholesterol levels". heartuk.org.uk/low-cholesterol-foods/saturated-fat. Accessed 10 November 2026. - Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, "Saturated fats and health", 2019, executive summary: "The evidence indicates that reducing saturated fats reduces the risk of CVD and CHD events, lowers total, LDL and HDL cholesterol and improves indicators of glycaemic control"; recommendation that the population average contribution of saturated fatty acids to dietary energy "be reduced to no more than about 10%" and that "saturated fats are substituted with unsaturated fats", with more evidence for polyunsaturated than monounsaturated replacement. gov.uk/government/publications/saturated-fats-and-health-sacn-report. Accessed 10 November 2026. - Mensink RP. "Effects of saturated fatty acids on serum lipids and lipoproteins: a systematic review and regression analysis." World Health Organization, Geneva, 2016 (controlled feeding studies in healthy adults, weight-loss interventions excluded; Table 2: LDL cholesterol falls 0.055 mmol/L for each 1% of energy moved from saturated to polyunsaturated fat, 69 studies). iris.who.int/handle/10665/246104. Accessed 10 November 2026. - HEART UK, "What is high cholesterol?", no page date shown: "Anyone can have high cholesterol, even if you are young, slim, eat well and exercise. That's because high cholesterol can be caused by different things, including your genes." heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol/what-is-high-cholesterol. Accessed 10 November 2026. - British Heart Foundation, Heart Matters, "How long does it take to lower cholesterol?" (Ruth Goss, Senior Cardiac Nurse), published 16 September 2025: "Reducing how much saturated fat you eat and eating more fibre, as well as following a balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet, can help reduce cholesterol levels by up to 10 per cent typically over 8 to 12 weeks." A charity magazine article without inline citations; the figure is attributed to it in the text. bhf.org.uk. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "Fat: the facts", page last reviewed 14 April 2023 (its stated next review date, 14 April 2026, had passed on the access date): "men should not eat more than 30g of saturated fat a day"; "There's good evidence that replacing saturated fats with some unsaturated fats can help to lower your cholesterol level." nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/different-fats-nutrition. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NICE, "Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification", NG238, published 14 December 2023: recommendation 1.3.2, "Advise people at high risk of or with CVD to eat a diet in which total fat intake is 30% or less of total energy intake, saturated fats are 7% or less of total energy intake, and where possible saturated fats are replaced by mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats"; 1.3.3, olive oil, rapeseed oil or spreads based on them; 1.3.12, "Do not advise any of the following to take plant stanols or sterols to prevent CVD"; the 2023 update "removed the reference to restricting dietary cholesterol intake"; a full lipid profile needs no fasting sample ("a fasting sample is not mandated"); 1.6.4, a repeat risk assessment after lifestyle change, with no interval stated. nice.org.uk/guidance/ng238. Accessed 10 November 2026. - Whitehead A, Beck EJ, Tosh S, Wolever TMS. "Cholesterol-lowering effects of oat beta-glucan: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2014;100(6):1413 to 1421 (28 randomised trials of 2 to 12 weeks; 3 g a day or more "reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol relative to control by 0.25 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.20, 0.30)" and 0.30 mmol/L, with no effect on HDL or triglycerides; the search included in-house reports from an oat-ingredient company). doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.086108. Accessed 10 November 2026. - British Dietetic Association, "Cholesterol" Food Fact Sheet, July 2026 (review date July 2029): high cholesterol is mainly caused by eating too many foods high in saturated fat, not being active enough, smoking and "Having too much body fat, especially around your middle"; plant stanol and sterol foods have "been shown to help to lower cholesterol levels. However, there is insufficient long-term evidence to show that they reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Therefore, UK guidelines do not recommend them for preventing cardiovascular disease"; "if you don't have high cholesterol, these products are not recommended for you"; 1.5 to 3 g a day. bda.uk.com/resource/cholesterol.html. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "Why 5 A Day?", page last reviewed 30 September 2026: "at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day"; "A portion of fruit or vegetables is 80g"; "They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced." nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/why-5-a-day. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "The Eatwell Guide", page last reviewed 29 November 2022 (its stated next review date, 29 November 2025, had passed on the access date): "Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat in small amounts"; pulses "are good alternatives to meat because they're low in fat and they're a good source of fibre and protein"; "eat less red and processed meat like bacon, ham and sausages". nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "Fish and shellfish", page last reviewed 26 June 2026: "A healthy, balanced diet should include at least 2 portions of fish a week, including 1 of oily fish"; oily fish are "high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to keep your heart healthy"; "A portion is around 140g"; oily fish include herring, pilchards, salmon, sardines, sprats, trout and mackerel. nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/fish-and-shellfish-nutrition. Accessed 10 November 2026. - Department of Health and Social Care, "Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register", last updated 19 May 2026 (Health_claims sheet): "Oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease", with a daily intake of 3 g; "Plant sterols and plant stanol esters have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol", with "a daily intake of 1,5-3 g plant sterols/stanols", the ranges "7 % to 10 %" (1.5 to 2.4 g a day) and "10 % to 12,5 %" (2.5 to 3 g a day) and "the duration to obtain the effect 'in 2 to 3 weeks'"; "Only authorised claims in the Great Britain NHC register may be used in Great Britain". gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-claims-nhc-register. Accessed 10 November 2026. - British Heart Foundation, Heart Matters, "Foods to avoid with high cholesterol" (Tracy Parker, Senior Dietitian), published 9 July 2025: red and processed meat "high in saturated fat, with about 5 to 10g per 100g serving"; butter, lard and ghee "about 50 percent saturated fat. One tsp has 5g"; "Palm oil is about 50 percent saturated fat, and coconut oil a whopping 85 percent", common in spreads, biscuits and cakes; full-fat dairy "making up about a quarter of our intake"; pastries, pies, biscuits, cakes and chocolate. bhf.org.uk. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "How to eat less saturated fat", page last reviewed 19 June 2023 (its stated next review date, 19 June 2026, had passed on the access date): "High: More than 5g saturates per 100g. May be colour-coded red"; "Low: 1.5g saturates or less per 100g. May be colour-coded green. Aim to choose products with green or amber for saturated fat." nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eat-less-saturated-fat. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "Meat in your diet", page last reviewed 1 May 2024: "If you currently eat more than 90g (cooked weight) of red or processed meat a day, it is recommended that you cut down to 70g"; processed meat includes sausages, bacon, ham, salami, corned beef, luncheon meats and pâtés. nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/meat-nutrition. Accessed 10 November 2026. - HEART UK, "Alcohol", no page date shown: "When you drink alcohol, it's broken down and rebuilt into triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver. So, drinking alcohol raises the triglycerides and cholesterol in your blood"; "Alcohol can lead to the combination of a high triglyceride level along with low HDL cholesterol"; no more than 14 units a week. heartuk.org.uk/low-cholesterol-foods/alcohol. Accessed 10 November 2026. - UK Chief Medical Officers, "Low Risk Drinking Guidelines", August 2016: "To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis"; "If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it is best to spread your drinking evenly over 3 or more days". gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-consumption-advice-on-low-risk-drinking. Accessed 10 November 2026. - HEART UK, "Exercise", no page date shown: "One way of reaching 150 minutes a week is by being active for 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week"; being active can raise HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol. heartuk.org.uk/healthy-living/exercise. Accessed 10 November 2026. - UK Chief Medical Officers, "Physical activity guidelines", 2019, page updated 10 July 2026: adults "should accumulate at least 150 minutes (2 and a half hours) of moderate intensity activity (such as brisk walking or cycling)" a week, and do muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week. gov.uk. Accessed 10 November 2026. - Hasan B, Nayfeh T, Alzuabi M and colleagues. "Weight loss and serum lipids in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2020;105(12):dgaa673 (73 randomised trials, 32,496 adults, mean BMI 36.3; after 12 months of lifestyle intervention, per kilogram lost, triglycerides fell 4.0 mg/dL, LDL fell 1.28 mg/dL and HDL rose 0.46 mg/dL; the mmol/L figures in the text are conversions using HEART UK's factors of 38.6 for cholesterol and 88.5 for triglycerides). doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgaa673. Accessed 10 November 2026. - British Heart Foundation, "Familial hypercholesterolaemia", page updated 14 July 2026: "FH is a common inherited condition that affects about 1 in every 250 people"; "many do not know they have it"; signs include tendon xanthomata, "Lumps and bumps around your knuckles, knees or the back of your ankle (Achilles tendon)"; a doctor may suspect FH when relatives had heart disease or stroke at a younger age. bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/familial-hypercholesterolaemia. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "High cholesterol: getting tested", page last reviewed 13 March 2026: "Ask your GP surgery for a cholesterol test if: you have not had a test before and you're over 40, overweight, or high cholesterol or heart problems run in your family"; over-40s may have a test during an NHS Health Check; "most people do not need to fast". nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/getting-tested. Accessed 10 November 2026. - NHS, "Chest pain", page last reviewed 8 August 2023 (its stated next review date, 8 August 2026, had passed on the access date): call 999 for "sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that does not go away" or "pain that spreads to your left or right arm, or your neck, jaw, stomach or back". nhs.uk/symptoms/chest-pain. Accessed 10 November 2026. - British Heart Foundation, Heart Matters, "Are eggs high in cholesterol? Egg nutrition explained" (Tracy Parker, Senior Dietitian), published 24 April 2026: "For most people, dietary cholesterol has a much smaller effect on blood cholesterol levels than once thought. Saturated fat has a much bigger impact"; "There is currently no recommended limit on the number of eggs you should eat"; people with familial hypercholesterolaemia "may still need to be careful about foods that contain dietary cholesterol". bhf.org.uk. Accessed 10 November 2026. Numbered markers in the page text link to these entries. Statistics describe populations, not any one person’s results. Published 10 November 2026. --- This is the plain-text version of the article at https://www.hemed.com/blog/foods-that-lower-cholesterol-men, generated from the page on 2026-11-10. It is for information only and is not medical advice. Whether any treatment is right for a person is a clinical decision. Statistics describe populations, not any one person's results.