All foods from animals contain some cholesterol. This includes meats, such as beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and fish. It also includes dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and ice cream. Organ meats, such as liver, are especially high in cholesterol. Egg yolks contain cholesterol, too. Some shellfish, such as shrimp, crayfish, and lobster, contain more cholesterol than most meals. However, they are also low in saturated fat, so it's OK to make them part of your healthy diet, as long as you eat them only in moderation. Also, even though fish contains cholesterol, you can help lower your cholesterol by eating at least two servings of fish each week in place of meat. You can do this because many types of fish are relatively low in saturated fat.
The following table shows the amount of cholesterol in many common foods.
| How Much Cholesterol Is in There? | |||
| Compare this ... | to this option that's lower in cholesterol ... | ||
| Food | Milligrams of Cholesterol | Food | Milligrams of Cholesterol |
| Egg, 1 whole | 213 | Egg, 2 whites only | 0 |
| Ricotta cheese, whole milk, ½ cup | 63 | Ricotta cheese, part skim, ½ cup | 38 |
| Mozzarella cheese, whole milk, 1 oz. | 22 | Mozzarella cheese, part skim, 1 oz. | 16 |
| Milk, whole, 1 cup | 33 | Milk, skim, 1 cup | 4 |
| Butter, 1 Tbsp. | 31 | Olive oil, 1 Tbsp. | 0 |
| Fruit Danish, 2½ oz. | 56 | Bagel, plain | 0 |
| Oyster, cooked, 4 oz. | 125 | Halibut, cooked, 4 oz. | 47 |
| Shrimp, cooked, 4 oz. | 223 | Tuna, canned in water, 4 oz. | 21 |
| Beef liver, pan-fried, 4 oz. | 551 | Brisket, trimmed, braised, 4 oz. | 106 |
| Ham, roasted, 4 oz. | 106 | Turkey, light meat, roasted, without skin, 4 oz. | 79 |
