Top cardiologist Dr Steven Lome has warned about three foods people looking to lower their cholesterol should avoid
03:00, 18 Mar 2026Updated 07:19, 18 Mar 2026
A cardiologist warns one breakfast food is a ‘cholesterol bomb’
A leading heart specialist has identified the three most damaging foods for anyone attempting to lower their cholesterol, with one branded an outright “cholesterol bomb”.
The expert in question was Dr Steven Lome, a cardiologist at Rush Copley in Aurora, Illinois. He appeared on the Physicians Committee podcast to outline the most harmful foods for cholesterol management.
That said, before delving into cholesterol, it’s worth understanding there are two primary varieties: HDL and LDL cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is referred to as ‘good’ cholesterol as it can help diminish someone’s chances of suffering from heart disease or a stroke.
LDL cholesterol, conversely, is labelled as bad cholesterol since excessive amounts can clog the arteries and heighten someone’s risk of cardiovascular problems.
Consequently, maintaining healthy HDL cholesterol levels whilst keeping LDL cholesterol low is crucial. Discussing the three principal foods to steer clear of, Dr Lome pointed to processed meats, red meats, and eggs as the main culprits.
He explained: “Processed meats, pepperoni, baloney, salami, sausage, things like that, they’re extremely high in saturated fat and, most of the time most, saturated fat has the biggest impact and they are high in saturated fat.
“They also have a good amount of dietary cholesterol which we need to remember, dietary cholesterol is not an essential nutrient. Processed meats I think by far would be the worst.
A man eating a healthy morning meal, breakfast at home. Fit lifestyle.
“Next, I would put red meats which still would be high in cholesterol and saturated fat significantly so you really want to get rid of those. And then eggs.”
Dr Steven was particularly emphatic when discussing eggs. He explained: “Eggs are a cholesterol bomb, I hear people call them. That yoke is just so full of cholesterol. In most surveys, eggs are the number one source of dietary cholesterol in the American diet.”
Regarding how diet affects cholesterol levels, there’s more than mere speculation at play, with numerous studies conducted to show how various foods influence our health.
Eggs
Multiple studies have examined how eggs affect cholesterol levels. For instance, research published in the Science Direct journal investigated eggs’ impact on blood lipid levels and whether they ought to be eaten at all.
Their findings stated: “When combined with healthy eating patterns that include more dietary fibre or fish, eggs may be beneficially associated with lipid outcomes. Overall, these results provide no evidence that egg intake should be limited when consumed as a part of a fibre-rich, heart- healthy diet.”
Meanwhile, separate research indicated that eggs might contribute to increased LDL cholesterol levels. Published in the Nutrients journal, researchers concluded: “Notably, longer-term high egg-consumption may lead to higher LDL-c/HDL-c ratio and LDL-c. However, RCTs with long tern follow-up are needed to guarantee the association between egg consumption and human health.”
Red and Processed Meat
Both red and processed meat have been associated with a heightened risk of heart disease, according to research from the University of Oxford. Publishing their findings in the Critical reviews in Food Science and Nutrition journal, they discovered that greater consumption of red and processed meat could raise the risk of heart disease.
In a statement released alongside the data, co-lead author Dr Keren Papier said: “Red and processed meat have been consistently linked with bowel cancer and our findings suggest an additional role in heart disease.
“Therefore, current recommendations to limit red and processed meat consumption may also assist with the prevention of coronary heart disease.”
For further information on how to lower your cholesterol, head over to the NHS website.