Is all fat bad?
In today's society, "fat" seems to have become a nasty word though all the fat in the blood is not bad. In fact, fats are the most concentrated source of energy in our diet that makes us feel satiated for longer periods of time. However, it is crucial to maintain only the minimum level of fat in our body to have a good health for lifetime.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a thick fatty substance present in our blood. It helps in the formation membranes (that cover our cells) and produces certain essential hormones and vitamin D.
Where does cholesterol come from?
Cholesterol is formed in 2 ways-
In the body, blood cholesterol is made in the liver, which produces all the cholesterol our body needs.
Dietary cholesterol comes from the food we eat.
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Which foods are rich sources of cholesterol?
Animal foods like meats, full fat dairy products, egg yolks, poultry and fish are all high in cholesterol. Plants foods like vegetables, fruits, grains and cereals do not have any dietary cholesterol. Foods like ghee, butter and cream do not contain cholesterol but when consumed, the saturated fats present in them have the capacity to get converted to cholesterol in the body and raise our blood cholesterol levels.
What happens when we overeat cholesterol rich foods?
When we overeat high cholesterol foods, it's level in the blood rises up above the normal limits leading to it's deposition in the arteries which is the root cause of most heart related ailment.
Is all cholesterol in our body bad?
No, not all cholesterol is bad. However, very few people know that some amount of cholesterol is essential for our body. Some amount is important as it forms a protective sheath around the nerves and helps in the production of vital hormones and vitamin D.
What is the connection between cholesterol and lipoproteins?
Like oil and water, cholesterol and blood do not mix. Cholesterol has to be circulated in the blood through carries viz. lipoproteins. The two types of lipoprotein, which need to be focused on are HDL ( High Density Lipoprotein) and LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein).
What is HDL ( High Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol?
HDL is the good cholesterol as it carries excess cholesterol in the blood back to the liver for recycling this avoiding it's deposition in the arteries which is why it is called good cholesterol. So a high level of HDL in the blood protects us from heart diseases while a low HDL level increases the risk of heart disease.
What is LDL(Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol?
LDL carries maximum cholesterol in the blood. It is the bad cholesterol as it carries cholesterol to the cells where it gets deposited. If we tend to eat too much of fat, then the liver makes extra LDL cholesterol which gets deposited in the cells and released in the blood which in turn thicken the arteries. So the lesser the LDL cholesterol, the lesser the risk of heart disease.
What are triglycerides?
Triglycerides is another type of fat in our blood. It is important to maintain the functioning of all the organs in our body and to maintain normal body temperature.
Where does triglycerides come from?
Like cholesterol, triglycerides are formed partly as a result of metabolism and partly from blood.
Which foods are rich sources of triglycerides?
Dairy foods like butter, cream, ghee and non-vegetarian foods are rich sources of triglycerides.
What happens when we overeat foods rich in triglycerides?
When we overeat foods rich in triglycerides, it's level in the blood increase and high levels of triglycerides combined with fat deposits in the arteries increases the risk of heart disease.
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