Q I'm an office worker in my 40s and often eat pork belly and fried food at company dinners. What foods raise cholesterol the most?
A Saturated fat and trans fat raise bad cholesterol the most. Cutting back on pork belly, fatty meat, butter, fried food, and snacks, while switching to vegetables, whole grains, oily fish, and nuts, is the key.
Detailed Answer
The main culprits that raise cholesterol are saturated fat (fatty meat, butter, processed meat) and trans fat (fried food, margarine, processed snacks). Conversely, fiber-rich vegetables, whole grains, beans, and unsaturated-fat foods like oily fish, nuts, and olive oil help improve lipid levels. Alcohol and refined carbs raise triglycerides significantly, so cutting these too is helpful. If company dinners are frequent, small habits like avoiding fried and fatty cuts and eating vegetables first can help.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
Dongjedang sees it this way: when greasy, sweet food is not fully used by the body, it remains as excess — phlegm-dampness — that blocks circulation. Treatment involves clearing the excess already built up while also regulating digestion and metabolism so new excess doesn't accumulate. That's why combining diet adjustment with herbal treatment often reduces both the numbers and body weight together.
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