The United States is set to do away with the familiar warning that eating foods high in cholesterol is bad for your health.

A draft report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, the country's top nutrition advisory panel, recommended ditching 40 year-old guidelines about avoiding high-cholesterol food. It said cholesterol such as that found in egg yolks, liver and shrimp is no longer considered a "nutrient of concern."

Like Us on Facebook

Five years ago, the committee said ''excess dietary cholesterol'' was a public health concern.

This time, however, the committee isn't reversing advice about the risks of having a high level of LDL cholesterol, or the "bad" cholesterol, in the blood. Medical experts warn that people with particular health problems such as diabetes should continue to avoid cholesterol-rich diets.

They also said people with high LDL levels are at greater risk of a heart attack and should avoid food high in cholesterol.

The new finding illustrates an evolution of thinking among many nutritionists. The new view is that for a healthy adult, cholesterol intake might not significantly affect the level of cholesterol in the blood or increase the risk of heart disease.

The greater danger to health lies in foods heavy with trans fats and saturated fats.

The committee will send its final recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which later issue the dietary advice. The modified Dietary Guidelines for Americans is expected to be issued later this year.

The Dietary Guidelines is a federal publication that has broad effects on the American diet. It helps determine the content of school lunches and often serve as the foundation for diet advice.

Some nutritionists said lifting the cholesterol warning is long overdue, saying the evidence against cholesterol evidence is weak.