Cholesterol: no longer a “Nutrient of concern”

When we speak about cholesterol in our body, it gives us a negative idea which is not good in our health. The name is also associated to heart attacks, strokes and other kinds of cardiovascular diseases. But nevertheless, cholesterol plays an important role for human health, as important with the water we drink and the air we breathe.

The cholesterol is connected into two things which are our body and food. The liver produces and discharges 75% of the cholesterol which flow in our blood and the existing 25% comes from the food we consume. In an average level, cholesterol is indeed very important which helps in functioning of our cells. However, the amount of cholesterol in our body has unknown conditions which already reached over 100 million Americans.

The two types of cholesterol are High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). HDL is healthy cholesterol which is responsible in fighting bad cholesterol in our body and stops it from gathering inside the arteries. The most favorable score is 60. On the other hand, LDL which is bad cholesterol, when merged with other substances block the arteries. Foods which are high in saturated fats and trans fats will give a person a higher LDL. An LDL which scores 100 is healthy for most people but to those people with heart disease, they need to have a lower score of LDL. The recommended daily cholesterol intake is 300 mg for those physically fit individuals and 200 mg for those who are not.

There were some guidelines to follow to monitor our cholesterol intake based on doctors’ and nutritionists’ recommendations. You should be aware of the quality and quantity of food when you choose to eat in fast food restaurants. Be observant of salty foods, calories and saturated fats. Prevent eating fried foods. Controlling cholesterol intake starts from grocery store. Check the nutritional facts and serving sizes.

According to studies by Harvard Medical School, average consumption of cholesterol is not a “Nutrient of concern”.The Panel (Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee) recommends that the dietary suggestions prevent warning about food cholesterol based on the committee’s conference last December 2014.

Lastly, be aware of your cholesterol scores for a healthy lifestyle!

R. Devi