The body needs fat and cholesterol for maintenance of cell membranes and for manufacturing hormones. Saturated fat and cholesterol are present in many of the foods that people consume. According to the American Heart Association, the main diet-induced cause of high cholesterol levels in the blood is the consumption of high levels of saturated fats. Generally, cholesterol and saturated fat are found in animal products. However, some plants also contain saturated fat. Foods that are high in both saturated fat and cholesterol are called artherogenic because they have the potential to cause blockage of the arteries.
Beef
Beef, especially when marbled with fat, is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. For example, an 8 oz porterhouse steak that has been trimmed to 1/8-inch fat has a total of 42g of fat, of which 17g are saturated. It also has 145mg of cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends that cholesterol intake be lower than 300mg per day for people with no risk factors, and less than 200mg per day for those with heart disease. Additionally, saturated fat intake should be less than 7 percent of the total daily caloric intake.
Dairy Products
Most dairy products are available in full-fat versions as well as low-fat versions. 8 oz of whole milk has 8g of total fat, with 4.6g of saturated fat and 24mg of cholesterol; a 1 oz portion of cheddar cheese has 9.4g of total fat, with 6g of saturated fat and 30mg of cholesterol. Dairy products are a good source of calcium, which builds strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. To lower the fat impact of consuming dairy, simply switch to lower fat versions. For example, 1 percent milk only has 2.4g of total fat, with 1.6g of saturated fat and 12mg of cholesterol.
Coconut and Tropical Oils
One way to trim undesired fat from your diet, according to the American Heart Association, is to limit the consumption of food containing tropical oils. Tropical oils are palm, coconut and palm kernel oils. These oils are often used in the creation of commercial snacks such as cakes, cookies and salty snack foods. One tablespoon of palm oil has 13.6g of total fat,with 6.7g of saturated fat, while 1 tbs of vegetable oil made from palm kernel has the same amount of total fat, but 11.1g of saturated fat. Neither of these oils contains cholesterol. The fat in raw coconut meat is almost all saturated; it has 13.4g of total fat, of which 11.9g are saturated. Coconut meat does not contain cholesterol.
Member Comments