Trick...

In a recent scientific advisory published in the American Heart Association (AHA) Circulation journal, researchers analyzed over 50 studies, including several meta-analyses, and found heart-healthy diets are also naturally low in cholesterol, which is important because high blood cholesterol can up your risk for heart attack and stroke.

And, the one trick researchers found when digging through the data was that focusing on the overall diet rather than tediously tracking a numerical value of cholesterol intake is more effective in helping you successfully stay on track with healthy eating.

Focusing on heart-healthy dietary suggestions (think: lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and less of foods high in saturated fats such as butter, cheese, and red meat) works because totality of the diet matters, especially for people who need to lower their cholesterol,  People more often arrange their diets based on foods—not from a list of nutrients—so food-based advice relates more directly to daily dietary decisions.