51. You avoid shrimp to cut back on cholesterol

THE RESULT: You miss out on a lean source of protein—and delicious meals.

THE FIX: While the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans still recommend consuming less than 300mg of cholesterol per day (200mg for those at risk of heart disease), it’s a bit of an anachronism—a holdover from the time when researchers believed the amount of cholesterol you ate had a direct correlation to the amount floating around in your bloodstream. Since then, extensive research has shown that saturated fat and trans fat have a much stronger influence on raising total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol than cholesterol from food. Keep a closer watch on those fats and feel free to enjoy shrimp to fulfill the USDA’s recommendation of two servings of seafood each week.