There are several misconceptions we have regarding cholesterol, the first and maybe the most dangerous is that cholesterol is bad. We also tend to assume that the majority of cholesterol found in our bodies comes from the cholesterol we consume. While we do absorb cholesterol from foods such as eggs and red meat, that particular cholesterol only accounts for approximately a quarter of our blood cholesterol levels. Surprisingly, our bodies (specifically the liver) MAKE the other 3/4 of the cholesterol found in our blood.
If our bodies make cholesterol, then why is having too much bad and how can we change it?
There are several different types of fats and fat containing components (including cholesterol) found in our blood. The most common ones we hear about are Triglycerides (TGs), HDL and LDL. HDL and LDL (lipoproteins) are often referred to as the "carrier lipoproteins." They enable waxy fats such as cholesterol and TGs to be transported through water-containing blood. Each lipoprotein carries these fats to different areas of the body. HDL, also called "Helper Lipoprotein" but most often referred to as the "Good Cholesterol" carries cholesterol and TGs away from the blood where they do damage and back to the liver to be taken to other tissues for energy or excreted. LDL on the other hand is created in the liver where cholesterol and TGs are incorporated and transferred to the blood to be circulated. While we do need some LDL circulating to serve as a reserve, high amounts of it can accumulate causing hardened arteries, plaque build up and an increase in blood pressure.
So, HDL is "good" and LDL is "bad." How, then, does diet change my cholesterol levels?
The most common recommendation in the past for those with high cholesterol is to consume a low fat diet. More recently, though, we have learned that the amount of fat isn't as important as the type or what I like to call QUALITY of fat. The new recommendation is now saying that while changing the amount of fat you consume may help, consuming different types of fats will help even more. Specifically, doctors, nutritionists and RDs are now saying that swapping saturated and trans fats (found in most animal products and processed foods, respectively) for more monounsaturated fats (found in foods such as olives, walnuts and avocados) has a greater effect on blood cholesterol levels than simply eating less fat. The reason the monounsaturated fats are better is because they have been found to lower the LDL levels while keeping the HDL levels the same! Polyunsaturated fats, also found in plants, tend to lower both HDL and LDL.
What should I be eating?
Eating no fat at all is not healthiest options. We need fat for many reasons including absorbing fat-soluble vitamins like A, E, D and K. (If you've ever gotten sick from taking a multivitamin, it's probably because it contained a fat-soluble vitamin and you didn't eat any fat!) Choosing the right kinds of fats is what is important! Here are some easy ways to reduce the amount of saturated fats you consume, as well as increase your monounsaturated fats:
- Cooking with olive oil rather than butter is a great way to change saturated fats into monounsaturated ones, and also changes up the flavor of your cooking for added variety.
- Snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables rather than processed cookies and chips will eliminate "hydrogenated oils," the food industry's secret term for man-made saturated fats.
- Choosing olive oil based dressings such as vinaigrettes instead of creamy dressings like Caesar and ranch will swap out those dairy based saturated fats with the healthier monounsaturated ones.
- Cooking meals at home more often than eating out will enable you to control exactly what types of fats go into your food.
- Having one meatless day a week (like Meatless Monday!) helps to eliminate lots of saturated fats, especially if you tend to eat a lot of red meat. Check out my recipes for Meatless Monday!
Are there any fruits or vegetables in particular you would suggest for a heart healthy diet? I know blueberries are really good for you but I haven’t heard any vegetables in particular that you should eat when trying to improve your cholesterol levels. Are olives themselves good for you or is the olive oil a better focus? They have a lot of good things in them but just from eating them it seems like they might have somewhat high sodium content the way they are generally presented.
ReplyDeleteOlives and olive oil both have good amounts of the monounsaturated fats which have been shown to lower LDL while keeping HDL (the good stuff) the same. You are definitely right that most olives are brined and contain a lot of salt and thus sodium, and to that I say it's best to buy them fresh when you can and make your own marinade. That way you can control the amount of salt. Also, rinsing canned olives before using them and not including the juice will decrease the amount of sodium. Salt can be a good thing in moderate amounts, especially if you run or exercise frequently. Olives are a healthy snack option that not only provide the salt you might need but other nutrients as well without the bad fats.
ReplyDeleteAs for fruits and vegetables, all vegetables contain phytochemicals that help prevent the absorption of cholesterol. Also, more and more research is coming out regarding specific vitamins that aid in heart health such as Vitamin E and several of the B vitamins (like folate). Fruits and vegetables of all kinds contain at least some of these vitamins, however the important part regarding cholesterol is that hopefully you are replacing what would have been something high in calories/bad fat with a better option containing good fats and more nutrients needed in the body for other things. I like to think of it as the "Nutritional Bang for your caloric buck!"
Fiber is also another important topic in heart health I will post about, and vegetables in particular contain a lot of good fiber!
Thanks for the question! I hope this helps! And feel free to email me if you have any other questions adepriest2@gamil.com