7 Top Cholesterol Myths-Busted!

Shrimp and Cholesterol

MYTH: People with high cholesterol should avoid eating shellfish such as shrimp.

TRUTH: "Shrimp isn't as bad as we once thought it was, but it can increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol if you eat shrimp that's fried or served in buttery sauces," says Leslie Cho, M.D, director of the Cleveland Clinic's Women's Cardiovascular Center.

It's true that shrimp are high in cholesterol, but like eggs, they're low in saturated fat-and they have the added advantage of containing fish oils, says Scott W. Shurmur, M.D., associate professor, internal medicine section of cardiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. So shrimp can be part of your diet if you have high cholesterol as long as you don't prepare them with added fat.

Three tasty, heart-healthy shrimp recipes:
Shrimp Pinwheels
Grilled Peanut Shrimp Skewers
Shrimp-Avocado Nachos