Cholesterol quiz: Is your diet hurting your heart?

All of these foods are derived from animals, and animal products are the only foods that contain cholesterol. Some of the more concentrated sources of cholesterol include organ meats (such as liver) and eggs. Shrimp and lobster, although they contain cholesterol, do not seem to increase blood cholesterol levels.

Saturated fat and trans fat are unhealthy forms of fat. Both of these fats raise your blood cholesterol more than does the cholesterol in the food you eat.

Saturated fat comes from foods of animal origin (meat, cheese, milk fat, eggs and butter), tropical oils (coconut, palm and palm kernel oils) and cocoa butter.

Trans fat comes mainly from processed foods. In order to extend the shelf life or improve the texture of food products, food manufacturers often use a process known as hydrogenation to turn vegetable oils into a solid form such as shortening. This process leads to the formation of trans fats, which adversely affect blood cholesterol, probably more so than saturated fat. Starting in 2006, the Food and Drug Administration began requiring that all labels list the trans-fatty acid content of foods.

Olive oil contains monounsaturated fat, which, when substituted for saturated and trans fats, can actually lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol in your blood. Because olive oil is high in calories, it should not be used in large quantities.

Many snack crackers contain a high amount of trans fats. Nuts are a good choice for a heart-healthy snack. Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, nuts may help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Studies have shown that almonds and walnuts can have beneficial effects on cholesterol. Instead of using cheese, luncheon meat or croutons in your salad, add some walnuts or almonds, or instead of a bag of chips in the afternoon, have a quarter cup of almonds. As healthy as nuts are, they are high in calories, so they should be consumed in moderation.

Neither are without fault. Butter has a higher saturated fat content than margarine and also contains cholesterol. Margarine contains significant amounts of trans fats, whereas butter has only trace amounts. Butter raises LDL a little more than margarine does, but margarine raises LDL and also lowers HDL.

Whichever you decide to use, butter or margarine, use it only in limited amounts. Try a margarine made with little or no trans-fatty acids, or use olive oil in place of butter and margarine.

Packaged foods, particularly bakery items, often contain trans fats in the form of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil helps packaged foods stay fresh longer and have a better texture.

If partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is among the ingredients listed on a nutrition label, you can assume that the food contains trans fat.

Soluble fiber appears to reduce your body's absorption of cholesterol from the intestines. Gel-like soluble fiber binds bile — which contains cholesterol — and some dietary cholesterol so that the body excretes it.

Foods with the most soluble fiber include oatmeal, peas, kidney beans, brussels sprouts, apples, pears and psyllium.

Low-fat is better than reduced-fat but fat-free is better than both.

• Low-fat means the amount of fat per serving (or per 100 grams of food) is 3 grams or less; the phrase "90 (or other number) percent fat-free" may only be used for low-fat products.
• Reduced-fat means the product contains 50 percent (or less) of the fat found in the product's regular version.
• Fat-free indicates the product has less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving, providing there are no added fat or oil ingredients.

Just because a food is low-fat or fat-free does not mean that it is low in calories.

When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn't need right away into triglycerides. The triglycerides are then stored in your fat cells. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, you may have high blood triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia). High triglycerides can increase the risk of heart disease.

While eggs aren't the evildoers they were once portrayed to be, egg yolks are a concentrated source of cholesterol, and we know that a diet high in cholesterol can contribute to elevated blood cholesterol levels. A high cholesterol intake is particularly undesirable in individuals who have diabetes. Although you don't want to eat eggs every morning for breakfast, an occasional egg is not a problem. Egg whites or egg substitues are a cholesterol-free option.

Thank you for taking our quiz.