When people hear they have high cholesterol, their first instinct may be to cut out cholesterol-rich foods. Goodbye shrimp, eggs and cheese. But experts say that solely focusing on cutting cholesterol is the top mistake most people make when trying to lower their cholesterol. While reducing the amount of cholesterol you consume can help somewhat, it’s rarely enough to push your numbers into an optimal range. And there are far more effective steps you can take.

“Most of the time when a patient comes in with high cholesterol, it’s due to their diet,” says board-certified cardiologist Kunal Lal, M.D. “But lowering it requires a multifactorial approach—a change in diet as well as reevaluating lifestyle choices.” 

Below, we discuss why only cutting out cholesterol-rich foods isn’t enough to effectively lower cholesterol, and what to do instead. 


Read my latest for EatingWell.com – The #1 Mistake You’re Making When Trying to Lower Cholesterol