The British public is generally well-versed on the dietary culprits to avoid for high cholesterol, with saturated fats being the most obvious factor on the no-go list.
But even the vegetable-based snacks you've been choosing might not be doing your heart any favours, according to nutritionist Lea Wetzell.
The problem lies in how these foods are prepared; when vegetables get deep-fried or heavily processed, they lose their natural benefits and can even become harmful.
Ms Wetzell explained to GB News that foods that appear nutritious can have the opposite effect when they're cooked in reused oils or loaded with additives.
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Foods that appear nutritious can have the opposite effect when they're cooked in oils
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It's a concerning revelation for anyone trying to make healthier choices at the supermarket or takeaway.
People who regularly eat fried foods face about 28 per cent higher risk of heart problems compared to those who rarely indulge, according to research Wetzell cited.
The main culprits are cheap seed-oil blends used in fast-food outlets and the practice of reusing cooking oils. When these oils get heated repeatedly, they create oxidised lipids that trigger inflammation and push up bad cholesterol levels.
"Regular consumption of highly processed, deep-fried foods often prepared in cheap seed-oil blends and served in fast-food outlets is strongly linked with higher bad-cholesterol and increased coronary heart disease risk," Ms Wetzell told GB News.
It's not just about the oil either - the processing itself strips away the natural goodness.
Wetzell points to several foods that fool us into thinking we're making healthy choices. Potato fries might come from vegetables, but once they're deep-fried, they're no longer nutritious. The same goes for those battered "vegetable" snacks you see in shops.
Even packaged veggie chips and health-focused snack bars can be problematic, as they are fried or baked in oils packed with polyunsaturated fats from processed seeds. In addition, they're often loaded with salt, sugar and various additives.
"The lipid-lowering effect of the whole food is lost in the processing and frying," Ms Wetzell explained, noting that what starts as a vegetable ends up as something that could harm your heart.
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There's good news, though - when you eat plant-based foods in their natural form, they're brilliant for your cholesterol.
Wetzell highlights how whole fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds provide powerful antioxidants and compounds that actively block cholesterol absorption.
The nutritionist noted that plant sterols and stanols found in these whole foods can reduce bad cholesterol by six to 12 per cent in the short term.
Ultimately, it's the colourful, unprocessed plant foods that give you the real health benefits, Ms Wetzell concluded.
The advice aligns with that of a TikTok creator who managed to slash her bad cholesterol by 39 per cent in just four months through simple lifestyle changes.
Unprocessed plant foods offer the most benefits to patients with high cholesterol
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The content creator, named Vera, took to the platform to reveal that her LDL cholesterol had plummeted from 153mg/dl to 94mg/dl between December 2024 and April 2025.
She explained that she had previously exercised very little, and while she ate fairly well, she hadn't been getting enough fruits, vegetables and fibre in her diet.
"I started eating healthy fats, and what I mean by that is salmon, avocado, peanuts and nuts. I ate avocados almost every day, about half with my meal," she told viewers. "I barely use butter now, and I always use avocado oil to cook."
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