Cholesterol is a substance found in the fats (lipids) in your blood. The body needs some cholesterol in order to function properly. The body, however, requires only a limited amount of cholesterol to meet its needs. When too much is present health problems such as heart disease may develop.
Cholesterol is carried
through the blood, attached to proteins. Cholesterol cannot dissolve in the blood but
has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. You may have
heard of different types of cholesterol, based on what type of cholesterol the
lipoprotein carries.
The two main types of lipoproteins are:
Low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) carries
cholesterol from the liver to the cells of the body. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis and is the reason why LDL has been dubbed the "bad" cholesterol. The target values for LDL cholsterol: <3.0mmol/l; 70-130
mg/dl.
High-density lipoprotein
(HDL), on the other hand, helps lower your risk of heart
disease, so it’s known as the “good” cholesterol. HDL scours the cholesterol
from blood vessel walls and carries it back to the liver. The liver then either
uses the excess cholesterol to make bile acids, which are essential to
digestion, or eliminates it from the body. The target values for HDL
cholesterol: >1.2 mmol/l; more than 40-60 mg/dl.
The target values for total
cholesterol: <5.0 mmol/l; Total
cholesterol: less than 200 mg/dl. A low level of HDL cholesterol and a high
level of LDL cholesterol in the blood will place you at risk of heart disease. A
blood test known as a lipoprotein profile can measure your LDL, HDL and
tryglycerides.
The great news is that factors within your control,
such as how active you are and what you eat, contribute to low LDL cholesterol
and high HDL cholesterol.
Risk
factors for heart disease and most likely high cholesterol include:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Lack of exercise
- Poor diet
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Family history of heart disease (genetic factors)
How can cholesterol levels
be lowered?
The main goal in lowering cholesterol is to lower LDL and raise your HDL. There are two key ways to lower cholesterol: consume a heart-healthy diet and take cholesterol-lowering medication. The first step should
always be dietary intervention.
Use the following tips to
help lower your cholesterol levels...
1. Eat
more unsaturated fats (such as olive and canola oils) and fewer saturated and
trans fats (such as butter, margarine, and shortening found in many processed
and commercial baked goods).
It was once thought that
eating too many cholesterol-containing foods (such as eggs) was the major dietary cause of high blood
cholesterol level. But we now know that eating large amounts of foods
containing saturated fats is a bigger problem and has a much greater influence
on blood cholesterol levels.
Make sure you know what
foods contain hidden fats for example muffins, croissants, rusks, biscuits,
crisps, chocolates, health bars, instant soups, creamed soups, salad dressings,
mayonnaise, pies, gravy, coffee creamers, nougat, ice cream, milkshakes,
biltong, croutons, quiches, sausage, popcorn, nuts, etc.
2. Eat more colourful, nutrient-loaded
fruits and vegetables. The main
characteristic of any heart friendly diet is an abundance of plant food
(fruits, vegetables, whole-grain cereals and legumes).
Legumes include dry, cooked or canned beans,
lentils, peas and all the soya products (cooked or canned soya beans, soya
mince, cubes, milk, tofu and tempeh). Legumes have a high fibre content, are
naturally low in fat and they don’t contain any cholesterol
3. Eat more fibre-filled
whole grains, and fewer refined carbohydrates (white starches). Insoluble fibre is found in
the skin, peels, and husks of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It passes
through your digestive tract without breaking down and helps prevent
constipation and other digestive disorders. Eating more fibre aids to fill you
up without filling you out!
Soluble fibre is chiefly in
oats, legumes (beans and peas) and fruit flesh. Soluble fibre decreases
the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Add oatbran to your breakfast or
when baking and have a bowl of oats (not instant) every day to keep your
cholesterol in check.
Increase
the amount of fibre in your diet by making at least half of your servings of
grain products, each day, whole grains such as whole grain breads, high fibre
cereals, brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
4. Reduce
the amount of red meat you consume and rather substitute it with fish or
poultry. Researchers have discovered that people who eat fish rich in omega-3
fatty acids three or more times a week are less likely to suffer from heart
disease and high blood pressure.
Replace some of the meat in your
meals with legumes or soy protein meat substitutes. They are low in saturated
fat and legumes are high in fibre.
5. Plant Sterols have
been shown to decrease LDL cholesterol levels as they compete with cholesterol
for absorption in the gut. Plant sterols naturally occur in seeds, nuts, legumes and
some breads and cereals. It is important to
consume the recommended quantities of these products to achieve a decrease in
cholesterol, so always remember to check the food labels. A popular product in
South Africa includes Flora pro-activ.
6. Choose fat free or
low-fat dairy products such as fat free cottage cheese or mozzarella instead of cheddar
or Gouda Replace the full cream milk in your diet with low fat or fat free
milk.
7. Keeping active is also an
important part of keeping cholesterol levels healthy. Try to be physically active for
30-60 minutes each day.
8. Use care when cooking-
For lower-fat cooking methods choose grilling, baking or boiling, steaming or
poaching instead of frying. Also trim any visible fat before cooking and drain
fat from the pan after cooking.
9. When eating out, ask questions about how the food
is prepared before ordering.
10. Limit your intake of high fat take out and
restaurant foods. Prepare healthy meals at home.
11. Read labels while shopping. Look at the fat content.
Choose mostly products with less than 3 g fat per 100g.
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