Cholesterol is essential to human life, because it helps build cells in the body. Although some cholesterol is necessary, too much cholesterol can become clogged in the arteries, causing high blood pressure, heart disease, and a higher risk for heart attack and stroke. Eating right and exercising regularly can help lower cholesterol. Eating the right foods and maintaining a low-cholesterol diet will help lower your risk for life-threatening diseases.
Significance
There are two types of cholesterol. Bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, accumulates in the arteries, leading to high blood pressure and heart disease. Good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, helps clear away low-density lipoprotein from the bloodstream, bringing it back to the liver where it can be synthesized. Therefore, a diet that is rich in high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, but limits low-density lipoporotein, or LDL, is ideal. Individuals who regularly eat foods containing HDL have lower blood pressure than those who simply do not eat foods containing LDL. Therefore, a combination of both limiting foods with LDL and incorporating foods with HDL is the best diet choice.
Types
Foods that contain LDL, or bad cholesterol should be eaten in extreme moderation. These foods include, but are not limited to lard, butter, whole milk, white rice, store-bought baked goods, half-and-half, fatty cuts of meat, dark meat chicken and turkey with the skin, bacon and full-fat cheeses, according to the American Heart Association. Foods that contain HDL, and should be eaten on a regular basis include, but are not limited to whole grains, walnuts, almonds, bran, prunes, apples, barley, pears, olive oil, lake trout, salmon, albacore tuna, herring and mackerel, according to the experts at the Mayo Clinic.
Time Frame
Individuals eating to lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol may begin to notice lower total cholesterol readings within several weeks of following a low cholesterol diet. This number, however, will not stay constant if the diet is abandoned. Ideally, patients should stay on a low LDL and high HDL diet permenantly to keep cholesterol levels as low as possible.
Misconceptions
Thomas Behrenbeck, cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic suggests that although it is beneficial to eat more foods containing HDL and fewer foods containing LDL, lower counts are not always better. Behrenbeck suggests that very low levels of LDL may cause anxiety and depression. Additionally, pregnant women with very low cholesterol numbers are more likely to deliver a baby who is underweight or premature. Behrenbeck suggests keeping LDL cholesterol between 40 and 50 mg/dL.
Expert Insight
The American Heart Association suggests that changing how an individual cooks can lower total cholesterol levels. "Select lean cuts of meat with minimal visible fat. Lean beef cuts include the round, chuck, sirloin or loin," states the American Heart Association. Additionally, the AHA suggests eating fish twice a week and replacing meat in a meal with protein-rich vegetables, fish, beans or tofu when possible. By cooking with olive oil and baking instead of frying, foods can transform from a meal high in LDL and low in HDL to a healthy choice that can help lower total cholesterol.
