Cholesterol and Health
- National Cholesterol Education ProgramContrary
to popular belief, the liver creates most cholesterol
and only a small percent is obtained through food.
However, the more saturated fats a person eats, the more
cholesterol his or her body makes.
Cholesterol is a fat-like
substance that forms a part of each cell in your body. A
person’s body needs cholesterol for daily functions,
such as making hormones, producing healthy cell walls
and making vitamin D. It also produces bile acids that
help in the digestion of fat.
Although this waxy substance helps your body in many
ways, excessive production of cholesterol can also be
harmful to your body. When this happens, the extra
cholesterol spills out and circulates into your
bloodstream. Be aware that high levels of cholesterol in
a person’s blood can causes clogging of blood vessels,
while increasing the risks of stroke and heart disease.
Cholesterol comes from animal-based food like dairy
products, eggs and meat. The two types of cholesterol
are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density
lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is the bad cholesterol that
usually cause the clogging of blood vessels, while HDL
is the good cholesterol that is responsible for clearing
LDL out of your bloodstream, reducing the risks of heart
disease.
Understanding Food Types
and Blood Cholesterol
Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are
three types of fats found in food. Each type of dietary
fat affects a person’s blood cholesterol in different
ways. For instance, saturated fats are those found in
lamb, pork, beef and other red meat products. Excessive
saturated fats in the body can be dangerous to your
health.
Monounsaturated fats are those found in pant oils, such
as canola, peanut and olive. Polyunsaturated fats, such
as omega-3 fat, can help in slowing down blood clots and
fight heart disease. They are found in fishes and plant
oils, such as soybean, corn, safflower and sunflower.
Since all kinds of fats are sources of calories, they
can all contribute to weight gain. However, consuming
too much saturated fat is harmful to your body because
it is the main cause of high cholesterol levels in the
blood. Be aware that the more saturated fats you eat,
the more cholesterol your body produces, which
eventually end up in your bloodstream.
In lowering blood cholesterol, substituting saturated
fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can
help by getting rid of newly formed cholesterol in the
body. For this reason, people with high levels of blood
cholesterol need to change their eating habits to ensure
that the right kind of fat enters their bodies. |
