If your doctor tells you that you have high cholesterol, you’ll need to do a few things to help lower it. They might recommend exercising to help boost your HDL cholesterol, which is the “good” type that helps remove cholesterol from your blood. Because smoking lowers your HDL cholesterol, it might be a good idea to quit smoking too.
You’ll probably also have to make significant changes to your diet, specifically cutting back on foods high in saturated fat and eliminating trans fat. The American Heart Association suggests keeping your saturated fat intake to 6% of your daily calories, or about 13 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Many fast food orders can easily bust you over your saturated fat limit if you’re not careful. Some fast food items are so unhealthy that the staff won’t eat them. A Cantina Chicken Quesadilla has 16 grams of saturated fat and 90 milligrams of cholesterol. A better (but not great) option would be a Cantina Chicken Bowl because it has 7 grams of saturated fat and 75 milligrams of cholesterol. It also provides 11 grams of fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol. Other fast food menu items won’t wreak havoc on your heart if you look closely at their nutritional content.
Fast-food orders lower in saturated fat
Fast food is well-known for its high-fat and processed menu items. One of America’s unhealthiest burgers comes from Five Guys; it has 27 grams of saturated fat and 165 milligrams of cholesterol. A McDonald’s cheeseburger has 5.3 grams of saturated fat and 14 milligrams of cholesterol. Not so bad, but it might be better to choose a Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken. This option has 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 110 milligrams of cholesterol, and 6 grams of fiber.
If you find yourself at a Chick-fil-A, the fried chicken sandwich will be tempting. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich is a better option with just 1 gram of saturated fat and 70 milligrams of cholesterol. It also has 4 grams of fiber to stave off hunger pangs.
A pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks might be your fall favorite, but the 48 grams of sugar and 6 grams of saturated fat can be a bit much for a menu item that isn’t a meal. If you have to treat yourself, order your PSL with nonfat milk to remove the saturated fat. However, you’ll still have a high sugar content, which can raise your triglycerides. Starbucks also offers a Turkey, Provolone & Pesto on Ciabatta that has 6 grams of saturated fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, and 3 grams of fiber. It has only 3 grams of sugar.
Some tips for eating at a fast food chain
Lowering your cholesterol might mean giving up your favorite fast-food items, but sometimes you need to get a quick meal when you don’t have a lot of time. It always helps to check out the nutritional information of your favorite fast-food restaurant beforehand, and most fast-food restaurants have their nutrition information available on their websites. Many calorie-tracking apps such as MyFitnessPal or Lose It! already have most items from fast-food chains in their databases. CalorieKing.com is a free website that provides nutritional information from your favorite restaurants. Look for fast-food restaurants that have plenty of healthy options so you’re not limited to just burgers, fries, and a shake. To protect your heart, limit your visits to fast-food restaurants to once or twice a month. (Read what happens when you eat fast food every day.)
If you find yourself already glancing at the drive-thru menu, skip the large versions of fries and entrées. While you’re at it, maybe choose a different side order such as a side salad or fruit rather than fries to keep your saturated fat under your daily limit. Chicken and fish tend to be lower in saturated fat than red meat, but not when they’re fried. Look for grilled or broiled versions of your protein sources.