Cholesterol Index of foods. Teaching tool for fat-modified diets.

The Cholesterol Index of foods expresses the relative effect of individual portions of foods on the serum cholesterol of an average individual. It is calculated from food cholesterol content and fatty acid composition. The total Cholesterol Index for the day has a value of 100 for a 2,400-kcal, prudent diet and a value of slightly above 200 for an equicaloric average American diet. The Cholesterol Index for a recipe prepared at home is the sum of the Index values for its ingredients. The Index can be adapted to individual dietary prescriptions fo patients with hyperlipidemia. After publication of Cholesterol Index tables, the Index could be used by dietitians or by individuals who wish to alter their present food pattern to a more prudent diet.