High Cholesterol in Food: Cholesterol, a type of fat, is present in all animal cells and is vital for several metabolic processes of the body including hormone and bile production. Cholesterol is a waxy, whitish substance, which is also essential for helping the body to produce and use vitamin D effectively. Bile production helps the body to digest fat and simultaneously absorb vital nutrients. High cholestrol in food can have adverse effect on your health and increase the risk of heart disease. The liver and most cells present in the body produce cholesterol in required amounts, which is then circulated in the blood with the help of lipoproteins. In order to learn ways of avoiding high cholesterol in food, you must first understand the permissible levels of cholesterol in your body. There are two types of cholesterol namely, Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The first type of cholesterol is called as ‘bad’ cholesterol, as it clogs up your arteries after entering the blood stream. On the other hand, the HDL cholesterol helps in removing the ‘bad’ cholesterol from the bloodstream and is called as ‘good’ cholesterol, as it is good for health. According to health experts, the cholesterol levels in you body should not go beyond 5.5mmols per liter. On an average, about fifty percent of adult Australian population has blood cholesteral level beyond the specified safe limits while more than fifty million Americans have high cholesterol. Cholesterol related health issues are on the rise and have become a major health concern globally.
Food to avoid for high cholesterol: High cholesterol can cause number of health problems such as heart disease, kidney damage, stroke, blindness, and even death. Since liver is the main processing center for cholesterol, it sends back all the unwanted cholesterol from animal fats we have consumed, into the bloodstream. Cholesterol circulated in excess amounts into the bloodstream can build up into fatty deposits causing the arteries to narrow. Complete blockage of the arteries leads to stroke and heart disease eventually. It therefore becomes important to know the foods you need to avoid for high cholesterol. Foods to avoid for high Cholestorol includes foods that are high in saturated fats.
High Cholesterol Food List: Saturated fats that are in animal products are mainly responsible for high cholesterol in the body. As a result, animal products lead the high cholesterol food list. Other foods that are included in the high cholesterol food list are full fat dairy foods, some seafood, and eggs. On the contrary, foods from plants are devoid of Colesterol and hence an important part of a healthy diet.
Food that causes high cholesterol: Everyday food that causes high cholesterol includes fatty meats, cakes, biscuits, pastries, deep fried foods, most takeaway foods, snack foods, and chips. Simple dietary changes can help you avoid food that causes high Cholosterol. You may replace butter with polyunsaturated margarine and may also opt for low fat milk and yogurt to limit your cholesterol intake. You may be able to lower LDL cholesterol by eating oats and legumes. Consult a dietician who can give you a proper food chart in order to have a balanced diet for reducing high cholesterol levels.
