rationTracker

Foods High in Cholesterol

Dietary cholesterol comes only from animal foods and has a smaller effect on blood cholesterol for most people than saturated fat does. Moderating intake is still a reasonable general target.

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Key takeaways

  • Beef Brain has the most cholesterol per 100 g among whole foods, at 3,100 mg.
  • Per 100 calories, Beef Brain ranks first at 2,053 mg.
  • General guidance is to keep cholesterol under 300 mg per day.

Cholesterol at a glance

Daily cap
300 mg

Top sources per 100 grams

The most concentrated sources by weight. Fortified products, supplements, and spices are excluded so the ranking reflects commonly eaten foods.

  1. 1Beef Brain3,100 mg / 100 g
  2. 2Pork Brain2,200 mg / 100 g
  3. 3Egg Stabilized2,020 mg / 100 g
  4. 4Veal Brain1,590 mg / 100 g
  5. 5Lamb Brain1,350 mg / 100 g
  6. 6Egg Yolk997 mg / 100 g
  7. 7Egg Turkey933 mg / 100 g
  8. 8Egg Duck884 mg / 100 g
  9. 9Egg Goose852 mg / 100 g
  10. 10Egg Quail844 mg / 100 g
  11. 11Fish Oil Herring766 mg / 100 g
  12. 12Beef Kidneys716 mg / 100 g
  13. 13Fish Oil Sardine710 mg / 100 g
  14. 14Fish Caviar588 mg / 100 g
  15. 15Egg Substitute Powder572 mg / 100 g
  16. 16Fish Oil Cod Liver570 mg / 100 g
  17. 17Chicken Liver563 mg / 100 g
  18. 18Turkey Giblets521 mg / 100 g
  19. 19Goose Liver515 mg / 100 g
  20. 20Fish Oil Menhaden511 mg / 100 g
  21. 21Fish Oil Salmon485 mg / 100 g
  22. 22Eggs Grade A411 mg / 100 g
  23. 23Pate Chicken Liver391 mg / 100 g
  24. 24Moose Liver389 mg / 100 g
  25. 25Egg Pasteurized387 mg / 100 g

Top sources per 100 calories

The same catalog ranked by nutrient density per calorie, which is useful when working within a calorie budget.

  1. 1Beef Brain2,053 mg / 100 kcal
  2. 2Pork Brain1,732 mg / 100 kcal
  3. 3Veal Brain1,347 mg / 100 kcal
  4. 4Lamb Brain1,107 mg / 100 kcal
  5. 5Egg Turkey546 mg / 100 kcal
  6. 6Egg Quail534 mg / 100 kcal
  7. 7Egg Duck478 mg / 100 kcal
  8. 8Egg Goose461 mg / 100 kcal
  9. 9Beef Kidneys453 mg / 100 kcal
  10. 10Goose Liver387 mg / 100 kcal
  11. 11Pork Lungs376 mg / 100 kcal
  12. 12Veal Kidneys368 mg / 100 kcal
  13. 13Pork Spleen363 mg / 100 kcal
  14. 14Lamb Kidneys347 mg / 100 kcal
  15. 15Veal Spleen347 mg / 100 kcal
  16. 16Chicken Liver337 mg / 100 kcal
  17. 17Egg Stabilized328 mg / 100 kcal
  18. 18Egg Yolk327 mg / 100 kcal
  19. 19Pork Kidneys319 mg / 100 kcal
  20. 20Turkey Giblets301 mg / 100 kcal
  21. 21Egg Pasteurized280 mg / 100 kcal
  22. 22Lamb Liver267 mg / 100 kcal
  23. 23Beef Lungs263 mg / 100 kcal
  24. 24Fish Roe262 mg / 100 kcal
  25. 25Egg260 mg / 100 kcal

Food values compiled from public nutrition databases and published research. Rankings exclude fortified products and supplements to reflect whole foods.