Cholesterol Facts

There are two types of cholesterol:

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol €“ called the €˜bad€™ cholesterol because it goes into the bloodstream and clogs up your arteries.

High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol €“ called the €˜good€™ cholesterol because it helps to take the €˜bad€™ cholesterol out of the bloodstream.

Safe blood cholesterol levels:

It is recommended that cholesterol levels should be no higher than 5.5mmols per litre.

Effects of high cholesterol levels:

The liver is the main processing centre for cholesterol.
When we eat animal fats, the liver returns the cholesterol it can€™t use to our bloodstream.
When there is too much cholesterol circulating in our bloodstream, it can build up into fatty deposits.
These deposits cause the arteries to narrow and can eventually block the arteries completely, leading to heart disease and stroke.

You don€™t need to eat foods that contain cholesterol; your body can produce all the cholesterol it needs.

High cholesterol foods are usually foods high in saturated fats. These foods should be limited in a healthy diet.

Foods that contain cholesterol:

• The cholesterol in your diet comes mainly from the saturated fats found in animal products including meat, full fat dairy foods, eggs and some seafood.
• All foods from animals contain some cholesterol.
• Foods from plants do not contain cholesterol.

How to avoid saturated fat:

The best way to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol in your diet is to limit foods high in saturated fats.

Try to avoid:

• Fatty meats and cut any visible fat off meat before cooking
• Full fat dairy products. Don€™t cut out all dairy foods just switch to low fat varieties, which will reduce the amount of saturated fats.
• Processed meats like salami and sausages
• Snack foods like chips
• Most takeaway foods, especially deep fried foods
• Cakes, biscuits and pastries

Healthy Cholesterol Choices:

• Low or reduced fat milk, yoghurt and other dairy products that have €˜added calcium€™, soy drinks are also good.
• Lean meat (meat trimmed of fat or labeled as €˜heart smart€™).
• Leaner sandwich meats like turkey breast or cooked lean chicken.
• Fish (fresh or canned) at least twice a week.
• Replace butter and dairy blends with polyunsaturated margarines and use olive oil in cooking instead of butter and dairy blends.
• Foods in your diet that are rich in soluble fibre such as oats and beans. There are a few products advertised at the moment for having beta glucans, which have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels and these would be ok to try.
• Healthy fats, such as nuts, legumes and seeds (linseed is great, try adding it to your muesli).
• Oats, chickpeas, alfalfa sprouts, kidney beans, cannelini beans, soy beans and lentils as well as garlic and onions
• Plant sterols. These are found naturally in plant foods including sunflower and canola seeds, vegetable oils and (in smaller amounts) in nuts, legumes, cereals, fruit and vegetables.

Increase the amount and variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods you have each day.

Other Tips:

• Limit cheese and ice cream to twice a week.
• Limit the number of eggs you eat to the one a day (whole or in dishes).
• Some margarine has concentrated plant sterols added to it. Plant sterol enriched margarines may help to lower LDL cholesterol.
• Trans fats, known not only to raise LDL cholesterol but also reduce the good HDL cholesterol, should be avoided altogether. Look out for them on nutrition labels and try not to buy foods which contain them. They are found in processed products such as margarine, biscuits, pastries and snack foods.

Supplements:

I€™m not a big one for supplements, but if the foods I have recommended you eat, are not to your taste, or it just seems unrealistic that you will eat like this, then there is no harm in taking fish oil tablets. These will increase your omega three levels, which will decrease your LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase your HDL (good) Cholesterol.