Thirty-six percent of US adults believe chicken lowers their cholesterol. It does not. A May 2025 poll from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and Morning Consult surveyed 2,200 adults, revealing cholesterol-reducing foods misconceptions that cut across the American diet.
TLDR
- 36% of adults incorrectly believe chicken reduces cholesterol risk.
- 26% said the same of lean red meat cuts.
- Beans, whole grains, and soy were correctly identified by roughly half.
- New ACC/AHA guidelines now recommend earlier LDL screening.
- The gap between belief and evidence creates real product-labeling stakes.
Cholesterol-Reducing Foods Misconceptions Run Deep
The PCRM and Morning Consult poll ran May 26-27, 2026. Results landed just after the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association released updated lipid management guidance, recommending earlier screening and individualized LDL targets. Significant.
Roughly half of respondents correctly named beans, whole grains, and soy as cholesterol-lowering. However, 36% flagged chicken as protective. Twenty-six percent said lean red meat cuts qualify too.
What Operators and Suppliers Should Read Into This
The data exposes a labeling and education vacuum. Consumers who misread animal proteins as heart-protective are not reading labels wrong; they are filling a gap that industry and regulators have left open.
Plant-forward brands have a measurable opportunity here. Soy, legumes, and whole grains already carry the science. The consumer belief gap is the last mile.
Additionally, the timing matters for food manufacturers. Clean-label and functional food producers who clearly communicate LDL-lowering evidence on pack are positioned ahead of any forthcoming regulatory tightening tied to the new ACC/AHA framework.
The PCRM has been direct in its framing. Animal products, processed or not, carry cardiovascular risk that most Americans still underestimate. That position, once fringe, now aligns with updated clinical guidance.
For retailers and suppliers, the poll is a signal. Shoppers are making cardiovascular decisions at shelf with flawed mental models. Brands that close the gap with transparent, evidence-backed claims earn trust that compounds. Those that stay quiet let the misconception do the selling for their competitors.
Source: vegconomist.com. https://vegconomist.com/studies-numbers/most-us-adults-misidentify-chicken-eggs-cholesterol-reducing-foods-poll-finds/