For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would
keep us healthy and help us lose weight.
And many of us jumped on the bandwagon, eliminating fat and
high-cholesterol foods from our diets. Well, unfortunately, we
were doing it all wrong. Instead of eliminating fat completely,
we should have been eliminating the "bad fats," the fats
associated with obesity and heart disease and eating the "good
fats", the fats that actually help improve blood cholesterol
levels.
Before we examine the good fats and bad fats, let's talk about
cholesterol.
Cholesterol - It's been ingrained into our brains that
cholesterol causes heart disease and that we should limit our
intake of foods that contain it, but dietary cholesterol is
different than blood cholesterol.
Cholesterol comes from two places--first, from food such as
meat, eggs, and seafood, and second, from our body. Our liver
makes this waxy substance and links it to carrier proteins
called lipoproteins.
These lipoproteins dissolve the cholesterol in blood and carry
it to all parts of your body. Our body needs cholesterol to help
form cell membranes, some hormones, and Vitamin D. You may have
heard of "good" and "bad" cholesterol.
Well, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the
blood to the liver. The liver processes the cholesterol for
elimination from the body. If there's HDL in the blood, then
less cholesterol will be deposited in the coronary arteries.
That's why it's called "good" cholesterol. Low-density
lipoproteins (LDL), carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest
of the body. When there is too much in the body, it is deposited
in the coronary arteries. This is not good. A build-up of
cholesterol in our arteries could prevent blood from getting to
parts of our heart.
That means that our heart won't get the oxygen and nutrients it
needs, which could result in heart attack, stroke, or sudden
death. So, if your LDL is higher than your HDL, you're at a
greater risk for developing heart disease. It may come as a
surprise, but recent studies have shown that the amount of
cholesterol in our food is not strongly linked to our blood
cholesterol levels.
It's the types of fats you eat that affect your blood
cholesterol levels.
Bad Fats
There are two fats that you should limit your intake
of--saturated and trans fats. Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are mostly animal fats. You find them in meat,
whole-milk products, poultry skin, and egg yolks. Coconut oil
also has a high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fats raise
both the good and bad blood cholesterol. Trans Fats
Trans fats are produced through hydrogenation--heating oils in
the presence of oxygen. Many products contain trans fats because
the fats help them maintain a longer shelf life. Margarine also
contains a high amount of trans fats.
Trans fats are especially dangerous because they lower the good
cholesterol, HDL and raise the bad cholesterol, LDL.
Unfortunately, most products do not tell you how much trans fat
it contains, but you can find out if it's in a product by
looking at the ingredient list.
If the ingredients contain hydrogenated or
partially-hydrogenated oils, then it contains trans fats.
Fortunately in 2006, manufacturers will be required to list the
amount of trans fat in their products on the nutrition labels,
so it will be easier for you to find. Good Fats
Some fats actually improve cholesterol levels.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, and soybean
oils. These oils contain Omega-6, an essential fatty acid.
However, most people get enough Omega-6 in their diet and
instead need more Omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in fish
and walnuts. Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, peanut, and olive
oils. Both types of unsaturated fats decrease the bad
cholesterol, LDL and increase the good cholesterol, HDL. Now,
just because the unsaturated fats improve your blood cholesterol
levels, you don't have the go-ahead to eat all of the olive oil,
butter and nuts you want. Fat of any kind does contain calories,
and if you're trying to lose weight, eat fat in moderation, and
stay away from saturated fats.
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