Guidelines advise that you keep your total cholesterol below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and your LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL — or below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L) if you're at very high risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams. If you have heart disease, limit your daily intake to less than 200 milligrams.

Foods that come from plants (dry beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds) don't contain cholesterol. Low-fat and fat-free dairy products, poultry, and most varieties of fish contain little cholesterol. Eliminating butter, trans fat margarines, and polyunsaturated oils and replacing them with canola and olive oil or plant sterols will also help to lower cholesterol. Check out the labels on your packaged foods -- avoid foods with saturated and trans fats, as most of these foods generally contain substantial amounts of dietary cholesterol.