Cholesterol is NOT your Friend!

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that naturally occurs in all parts of the body and is required for function.  It is necessary to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that aid in digesting fat.  Only a small amount of cholesterol is essential, and the liver produces all you need.  Since your liver produces all the cholesterol your body needs, you do NOT need to consume any in your diet!

Excessive amounts of cholesterol in the bloodstream lead to atherosclerosis (a condition in which fat and cholesterol are deposited in the walls of the arteries throughout the body).  This process can eventually cause heart disease.  Cholesterol is only found in animal products. Major dietary sources of cholesterol include: cheese, egg yolks, beef, pork, poultry, fish,  and shrimp.

• Low density lipoproteins (LDL): LDL, also called "bad" cholesterol, can cause buildup of plaque on the walls of arteries. The more LDL there is in the blood, the greater the risk of heart disease.  (<130)
• High density lipoproteins (HDL): HDL, also called "good" cholesterol, helps the body get rid of bad cholesterol in the blood. The higher the level of HDL cholesterol, the better. If your levels of HDL are low, your risk of heart disease increases. (>45)
• Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL): VLDL is similar to LDL cholesterol in that it contains mostly fat and not much protein. (5-40)
• Triglycerides: Triglycerides are another type of fat that is carried in the blood by very low density lipoproteins. Excess calories, alcohol, or sugar in the body are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells throughout the body. (<200)

Some factors that affect cholesterol are: diet, exercise, weight, heredity, age, gender, and some medications.  Your total cholesterol should be less than 200.  Simple lifestyle changes can reduce your cholesterol and risk of heart disease.  First, and foremost QUIT SMOKING!   Eat low cholesterol foods -the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams. If you have heart disease, limit your daily intake to less than 200 milligrams.  Exercise has been shown to increase HDL.  Take medication only as prescribed by your doctor.

Eat your MUFAs and PUFAs!!!

Enough with the negative, there are also some fats that we can enjoy!  In fact as I mentioned in earlier blogs we need fats for daily functions.  It is all about choosing the right type of fat in your diet.

Monounsaturated fatty acids are the healthiest form of fat you consume in your diet.  These are found in olives, peanuts, pecans, avocados, and canola oil.  Eating this type of fat can improve blood cholesterol levels which can reduce your risk of heart disease.  Research also shows that monounsaturated fats can benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids make up both the omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid) essential fatty acids.  These types of fats are required for growth, reproduction, skin function and many other things! This type of fat is found mostly in plant-based foods and oil.  Some examples include: walnuts, flax seed, hemp seeds, vegetable oils, and fish.  Polyunsaturated fats can protect against heart disease, certain cancers, and other inflammatory diseases.

These fats still need to be used in moderation - fats in your diet should not exceed 25-35% of total calories eaten.  Replacing trans and saturated fats with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats will benefit your diet.   Again - I can't say it enough - read your FOOD LABELS!

STAY AWAY from Saturated Fats!

SKIP THE BACON!!

Saturated fatty acids are known to raise blood cholesterol, promote heart disease, and are not necessary for your diet.  They can also increase the risk of chronic diseases, some types of cancer, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and gallstones.

 
Saturated fats are primarily found in animal products - like beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. Additionally, foods from plants that contain saturated fat include coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.  

Saturated Fat 1.5g

Saturated Fat 7g

A good tip: choose margarine over stick butter.   Most margarine is made from vegetable fat and provides no dietary cholesterol. Most importantly, remember to read your labels!!!

The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7 percent of total daily calories.  So, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 140 of them should come from saturated fats.  That’s about 16 grams of saturated fats a day. 


February is American Heart Month.  Now is a great time to become heart healthy!  Avoiding this type of fat you can reduce your risk for heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the United States - and ladies heart disease is the number one killer for women - it takes more lives than all forms of cancer combined!

For more information visit the American Heart Association web page:


http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/

Trans fatty acids the BIG BAD FAT

This is my first official post so I am going to start off with some general information about fats, and talk about the biggest and baddest type of fat: Trans Fatty Acids!!

Fats (also known as lipids) perform several functions.  They help with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.  Fats are a source of energy - just like proteins and carbohydrates.  However, protein and carbohydrates both offer 4 calories per gram, whereas fats offer a much higher 9 calories per gram.

Of all the fats, trans fatty acids are the most harmful that we can consume.  Trans fatty acids are unsaturated fats created by hydrogenation, a process that is used to solidify a product and increase the shelf life of processed, fried, and fast foods.  Trans fatty acids increase heart disease risk, stroke, interfere with liver function, worsen insulin resistance, interrupt essential fatty acid metabolism, and increase the risk of having low birth weight babies - ALL THIS FOR SOME FRENCH FRIES!!!


When shopping, be sure to read nutrition labels and look for words like hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated.  If you see these words "drop it like it's hot" and move on to the next grocery item!  Some foods to avoid include: fried foods, baked goods, doughnuts, pastries, stick margarine, and shortening.  Again, when in doubt, just read the nutrition label!!!

Here is a good link about trans fats:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/FatsAndOils/Fats101/Trans-Fats_UCM_301120_Article.jsp