Cholesterol-fighting Fat: The Good Choice

Our bodies produce 80% of its total cholesterol; the foods we eat produce the other 20%. The cholesterol in our diet comes only from foods produced by animals, such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. No one, especially those with high cholesterol levels, should eat more than 300 milligrams a day. However, limiting your intake of cholesterol is just a small part of the big picture. It is the type of fat you eat that has a greater impact on your cholesterol levels, rather than the amount of fat you eat.

It may be very surprising to learn that fat is very important to your health and to your diet. Some fats are good; some are not. The type of fat you choose in your food is more important than how much fat these foods contain.

Healthy Fats:

- Monounsaturated fats, which decrease total blood cholesterol but maintain HDL (the good cholesterol), are the healthiest. Foods that contain this type of cholesterol are: natural peanut butter, olive oil, olives, pecans, almonds, avocados, walnuts, canola oil, macadamia nuts, peanut oil, peanuts and pistachios.

Margarine which contains the above ingredients can be placed in the healthy category. However, be careful and read the ingredient list carefully, as it may contain partially hydrogenated oil, which is harmful to your health.

- Polyunsaturated Fats are more or less healthy, because they reduce total blood cholesterol, but lower HDL level, and should be consumed in moderation. This type of fat found in mayonnaise, pumpkin seeds, corn oil, and sunflower seeds.

Omega-3 fats are a special group of polyunsaturated fats. These help keep the heart healthy and can be found in high-fat fish, like tuna, trout and salmon and in oysters, sardines, scallops, shrimp, soybean oil and nuts.

Now that you know which fats to include as part of your plan to lower cholesterol, it’s time to learn about the types of fat are bad for your health. To lower cholesterol should avoid these types of fat:

Unhealthy Fats:

- Saturated fats are bad fats that increase the total level of blood cholesterol and bad cholesterol (LDL). Some experts say that limiting saturated fat intake is one of the best ways you can take to lower cholesterol. No more than 10% of your caloric intake should come from saturated fat (i.e., 15 to 25 grams daily). Try to keep this number as low as you can, limiting consumption of these foods: cream, cream cheese, ice cream, palm oil, pork, poultry, sour cream bacon, bacon fat, beef, butter, cheese, cocoa butter, coconut, coconut milk, and whole milk.

- Trans fats are most harmful fats you can eat! They increase total cholesterol, increase bad cholesterol (LDL) cholesterol and lowers good (HDL). Eating small amounts of trans fats significantly increases the risk of heart disease. Limit your intake of this type of fat as much as possible. Foods that contain trans fats are: candy, snacks, fried foods, butter sticks, crackers, cookies, donuts, cakes, packaged, etc.

Although some fats are healthier than others, it is important to remember that all are high in calories. Eating too much (even good) can result in weight gain. The ideal is to limit fat intake to less than 30% of daily caloric intake (45 to 64 grams each day).

Note: Lowering your cholesterol is not enough to maintain a healthy body. Exercise and a balanced diet are a must!

Bud Karas