Avoiding high cholesterol is a crucial way to maintain good health, and there are certain drinks people should avoid if they want to keep those levels down.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that helps the body build cells as well as make vitamins and hormones.

However, having too much cholesterol can be a health risk as it can build up in blood vessels which can increase the risk of heart-related problems or strokes.

One good way to avoid this is to cut down on food and drinks that are high in saturated fats or sugar.

What drinks should you avoid if you have high cholesterol?

According to Medical News Today people should avoid drinks high in saturated fat such as:

  • coffee or tea with cream or high-fat milk
  • drinks or smoothies containing coconut or palm oils
  • pressed coconut drinks
  • ice-cream-based drinks
  • high-fat milk products

Sugary drinks are also ones to avoid according to the British Heart Foundation, so energy drinks, soft drinks and sweetened fruit juices need to be consumed in moderation.

Discussing how alcohol can impact cholesterol levels they add: "Cutting down on alcohol will help your liver to work better at removing bad cholesterol.

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"It may also improve your heart health in other ways by helping you lose weight and lower your blood pressure."

The NHS also recommends reducing alcohol consumption to help manage cholesterol levels.

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People should avoid drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week and should aim to have several drink-free days each week.

High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms so to find out if you have high levels you would need to have a blood test.

Therefore it is important to have regular check-ups and blood tests to monitor cholesterol levels and take steps to manage them if needed.