Brits have been warned that two popular breakfast items often seen in traditional fries could be dangerous if you have high cholesterol. High cholesterol means you have too much of a fatty substance known as cholesterol in your blood.

Over time, this can accumulate in the arteries and cause blockages. Sometimes, if the plaque breaks off and travels to the brain or heart, it can lead to a stroke or heart attack.

Therefore, it is vital to keep your cholesterol at a level considered healthy. This may include watching your diet with certain foods that are known to raise cholesterol.

Saturated fats are one of the worst offenders when it comes to cholesterol. As a result, health organizations are urging people to keep their saturated fat intake to a minimum, especially if you already have high cholesterol.

So what are the foods you should avoid? Many foods contain saturated fat, especially animal foods such as meat, butter and dairy products.

More specifically, experts Harvard Health He said: “What are the worst foods that cause high cholesterol? Red meat, fried foods and baked goods are notorious for raising levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the sticky kind that builds up on artery walls.

They added: “What you need to worry about are foods high in saturated fat, as these can raise your cholesterol levels and cause weight gain.” With this in mind, they warned about two foods that are a popular breakfast food in the UK.

These are sausage and bacon, both of which are considered processed meats. Harvard Health experts advised people to stay away from processed meats in their article titled “Four foods you shouldn’t eat if you have high cholesterol.”

“Hot dogs, sausages and bacon use the fattest cuts of red meat and therefore tend to be high in cholesterol and saturated fat,” they said. “Bacon and sausage made with turkey or chicken may seem healthier, and they are slightly lower in cholesterol than red meat versions, but they are not cholesterol-free.”

Red meat consumption should also be kept to a minimum as much as possible. They continued: “Beef, pork and lamb are generally high in saturated fat. Cuts of meat such as burgers, ribs, pork chops and roasts have the highest fat content.

“You don’t have to eliminate meat completely, just eat it occasionally. Limit yourself to the recommended three-ounce serving size and stick to leaner cuts like sirloin, pork loin or filet mignon.

“Better yet, replace meat with proteins that are lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, such as skinless chicken or turkey breast, fish and beans.” Other foods they recommend avoiding eating include fried foods like chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings, and baked goods like cookies, cakes, and pastries.

When it comes to diet, the NHS recommends the following to keep your cholesterol levels under control. Try eating more:

• Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon
• Brown rice, whole grain bread and whole wheat pasta
• Nuts and seeds
• Fruits and vegetables.

Try eating less:

• Meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
• Butter, lard and oil
• Cream and hard cheese such as cheddar
• cake and biscuits
• Foods containing coconut oil or palm oil.

As a rough guide, the NHS says healthy cholesterol levels are:

• Total cholesterol – below 5 mmol/L
• High-density lipoprotein cholesterol – above 1.0 mmol/L for men or above 1.2 mmol/L for women
• Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol – less than 4 mmol/L.

If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels you should talk to your doctor.