Cholesterol: The Good and The Bad Explained
Cholesterol is an awful term, but what exactly is it? Why are some foods prone to high levels of it, and how does it affect the body?
Here is what you need to know:
What is cholesterol? What is it?
Understanding cholesterol: The body’s produced cholesterol, a type of fat. It’s helping to build the walls of cells and making hormones. There’s two types of cholesterol, and both are usually harmless if eaten in sufficient quantities.
Low-density lipoproteins: Since the makeup of fat molecules is complex chemical structure, they cannot be absorbed into the blood by themselves. LDL transports fat molecules to their right destinations.
However, the Mayo Clinic advises that if LDL levels become too high, they might release “in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow.” This can result in heart conditions and strokes.
There is a higher protein content for HDL cholesterol than there is for lower density lipoprotein cholesterol. The National Institutes of Health found these proteins help to transfer cholesterol from outer tissues into the liver.
LDL receptors, along with SR-B1 and CETP, work together to move LDL to the liver, where it undergoes processing and elimination. The NIH notes that “CETP exchanges the cholesterol esters in the core of HDL particles” with other proteins.
Therefore, HDL reduces plaque in the blood vessels and prevents inflammation.
What’s the effect of cholesterol on your body?
The diet has no effect on cholesterol levels for most people.
Dr. Steven Nissen, Cleveland Clinic cardiothoracic surgeon, believes that genetics play a bigger role than diet in determining cholesterol levels.
“Because your body naturally produces cholesterol much higher than what diet can handle, eating foods high in cholesterol is not likely to significantly affect blood cholesterol levels,” he continued.
Harvard’s researchers have studied the cholesterol levels of more than 80 000 women nurses, finding no increased risk of heart disease from eating one egg per day.
Therefore, in patients with heart disease or diabetes, specialists recommended that eggs be restricted. As a result of regular intake of cholesterol rich foods, you may have a higher level of cholesterol in your blood.
According to Dr. Romit Bhattacharya, a cholesterol-rich diet and high-sugar foods may be the reason for an increase in cholesterol.
What foods are raising your body’s level of LDL cholesterol?
As per the American Heart Association, foods that elevate LDL cholesterol tend to be rich in trans fat and ought to be steered clear of.
Trans fats are frequently formed in highly processed foods when hydrogen is added to seed oils, particularly vegetable oil, and are recognized as “the most harmful kind of fat to consume.”
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In the packaging of foods with a high trans fat content, hydrogenated oils or oils derived from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are usually used. These fats increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by raising harmful cholesterol levels.
High fat foods, sweets, fast food and meat products such as hot dogs, bacon or sausages are causing elevated levels of harmful cholesterol.
