Swapping meat for fish during Lent is one of the best seasonal habits for your cholesterol, because fish replaces red and processed meat, and oily fish provides omega-3 fats. The catch is the coating and the cooking fat: battered, fried fish with chips changes the picture.
The short version
Choose: baked, grilled or poached fish (cod, haddock, salmon, sardines, tuna), with vegetables and beans or lentils. Limit: battered or breaded fried fish, creamy fish pies and tartare sauce. Easter: ham is moderate in saturated fat but high in salt; chocolate eggs are mostly saturated fat and sugar.
Fish compared
| Food | Serving | Saturated fat | Cholesterol | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cod, baked | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.1 g | 47 mg | 89 |
| Haddock, baked | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.1 g | 56 mg | 77 |
| Tuna, light, canned in water | 3 oz (85 g) | 0.2 g | 31 mg | 73 |
| Salmon, Atlantic farmed, cooked | 3 oz (85 g) | 2 g | 54 mg | 175 |
| Sardines, canned in oil, drained | 3 oz (85 g) | 1.3 g | 121 mg | 177 |
| Fish sandwich with tartar sauce (fast food) | 1 sandwich (220 g) | 4.3 g | 77 mg | 565 |
White fish has almost no saturated fat. Oily fish has a little more but provides omega-3 fats, which lower triglycerides. The American Heart Association recommends one to two seafood meals a week, especially in place of less healthy foods. Our salmon food check has more. Batter, fried coatings and tartare sauce are where the saturated fat comes from, along with the oil the fish is fried in.
Fish Friday ideas that don't need a fryer
- Baked cod with lemon, herbs and olive oil, with roast vegetables.
- Sardines on wholemeal toast (see the lunch ideas for a recipe).
- Tuna and bean salad with olive oil and lemon.
- Fish tacos with grilled white fish, cabbage and lime, on corn tortillas.
- Oven "fish and chips": a breadcrumb-coated fillet and potato wedges baked with a little oil.
- Lentil and tomato fish stew for a Lent meal that includes fibre.
Easter: ham, lamb, buns and chocolate
| Food | Serving | Saturated fat | Cholesterol | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ham, roasted, regular | 3 oz (85 g) | 2.7 g | 50 mg | 151 |
| Milk chocolate | 1 oz (28 g) | 5.2 g | 6 mg | 150 |
| Fruitcake / simnel-style cake | 1 slice (43 g) | 0.5 g | 2 mg | 139 |
- Ham is moderate in saturated fat but high in salt, which matters for blood pressure. Have a smaller portion or choose lean roast chicken or turkey.
- Lamb varies a lot by cut. Trim visible fat and choose a leg over shoulder or breast. Ground lamb has about 6.9 g of saturated fat per 3 oz cooked (see our red meat food check).
- Hot cross buns: usually low in saturated fat. The butter you put on top is the issue (about 7 g per tablespoon).
- Chocolate eggs: a one-ounce portion of milk chocolate has about 5 g of saturated fat; a hollow egg can weigh 100 g or more. Break one up and share it, or have dark chocolate. See chocolate and high cholesterol.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you take cholesterol medication or have a heart condition, check changes to your diet with your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist.
Sources
- Rimm EB, et al. Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018;138:e35–e47.
- NHS: Fish and shellfish.
- American Heart Association: Saturated fat (aim for under 6% of calories, about 13 g on 2,000 calories).
- USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), values per serving calculated from the per-100 g record: FDC 171956, 174198, 173709, 175168, 175139, 170296, 167872, 167587, 174939. fdc.nal.usda.gov
Frequently asked questions
Is fish good for cholesterol?
Yes. Fish replaces red and processed meat, which tends to be higher in saturated fat, and oily fish provides omega-3 fats that lower triglycerides. The AHA recommends one to two fish meals a week. Fish itself does not lower LDL much; what matters is what it replaces and how you cook it.
Is fish and chips bad for cholesterol?
Battered, deep-fried fish and chips is high in fat and calories, and the saturated fat depends on the frying oil. Baked or grilled fish with potato wedges is a much better choice.
Can I eat ham at Easter with high cholesterol?
Yes, in moderation. A 3 oz (85 g) serving of roast ham has around 2.7 g of saturated fat, but it is high in salt, which matters for blood pressure. Lean turkey or chicken are lower in both.
How much Easter chocolate is OK with high cholesterol?
An ounce (28 g) of milk chocolate has about 5 g of saturated fat, which is around 40% of a 13 g daily target. A few squares or one small egg is fine; a whole large egg is a lot.
What fish is lowest in saturated fat?
White fish such as cod and haddock, and tuna canned in water, have almost none (under 0.5 g per 3 oz). Oily fish like salmon and sardines have 1 to 2 g per 3 oz, along with omega-3 fats.
Log fish meals and track omega-3-friendly weeks
Heart Tracker shows your saturated fat and fibre per day, so you can see how a fish-heavy Lent changes your averages.
- Barcode scanner
- LDL & HDL trends
- Voice meal logging
