Surprising foods to avoid in the battle against high cholesterol — and which ones to eat

What foods are best to enlist, and which are best to avoid when waging war on high cholesterol?

Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins, and there are two main types. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL and non-HDL cholesterol. Pictture: iStock

According to the Irish Heart Foundation, high cholesterol is a major contributor to heart disease. It is responsible for around 29% of all deaths in Ireland. Conservative estimates suggest that around one quarter of people are living with high cholesterol, although the true figure could be higher.

Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins, and there are two main types. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is the so-called “good” cholesterol, which acts as a scavenger and helps remove excess cholesterol. Then there’s non-HDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which if allowed to build up inside the walls of blood vessels, can lead to the narrowing of the arteries. When this happens, blood flow to the heart and brain can become restricted and heart disease is diagnosed.