| |
Cholesterol in
Your Blood
by Harriet Kohn, M.S., R.D.
Extension Nutrition Specialist
Linda Boeckner, Ph.D., R.D., Extension Nutrition Specialist
Cholesterol is part of every animal cell.
Your body uses it in many ways such as making cell walls and in creating
hormones. However, major scientific studies have shown that people with high
levels of cholesterol in the blood have more chance of developing coronary
heart disease than people with lower levels of cholesterol. The chances of
developing heart disease increase in proportion to the amount of cholesterol
in the blood.
As cholesterol circulates in the blood
it is deposited in the inner walls of the arteries. Over the years, scar
tissue and other debris build up as more cholesterol is deposited. The
arteries become narrower, much as old water pipes build up scaly mineral
deposits. This process is known as atherosclerosis. When a blood blockage
forms in the arteries around the heart, the result is a heart attack. A blood
blockage in the brain results in a stroke.
Since cholesterol is a fat-like
substance it will not mix with water. The body wraps it in protein packages to
carry it in the blood. These protein packages are called
"lipoproteins." The two lipoproteins that are the primary carriers
of cholesterol are "high density" (HDL) and "low density"
(LDL) lipoproteins. LDLs contain the greatest amount of cholesterol and may be
responsible for depositing cholesterol on artery walls. HDLs, the "good
cholesterol carriers," are believed to take cholesterol away from cells
and transport it back to the liver for processing or removal from the body.
Various factors increase blood
cholesterol levels. These include high saturated fatty acids and cholesterol
from the foods we eat as well as smoking, being overweight and lack of
exercise. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids tend to lower blood
cholesterol levels.
Approximately 37 percent of our food
energy comes from fat. Many authorities suggest lowering fat to 30 percent of
calories with approximately 10 percent each from saturated, polyunsaturated
and monounsaturated fatty acids. Dietary cholesterol intake should be kept to
an average of 300 mg per day.
Foods from animal sources contain
cholesterol and are major sources of saturated fatty acids. Vegetable sources
of fat contain no cholesterol, are generally low in saturated fatty acids, and
rich in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fatty acids. The exceptions are the
tropical oils such as palm kernel and coconut oils which have no cholesterol
but contain higher levels of saturated fatty acids.
People who reduce high levels of blood
cholesterol also reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Three
routes to lowering blood cholesterol are:
1. Eat foods that contain less total
fat, saturated fatty acids and cholesterol.
2. Be more active; exercise regularly.
3. Maintain normal weight; if you are overweight, lose weight.
To help with food choices remember:
- Cholesterol is found only in animal
products.
- Saturated fatty acids are found
mostly in animal fats and the tropical vegetable oils such as coconut and
palm kernel.
- Vegetables, fruits, cereal grains and
starches contain no cholesterol and little or no fat.
- Vegetable oils such as corn,
sunflower, soybean, canola or olive oils contain mostly polyunsaturated or
monounsaturated fatty acids.
Practical steps to cut down on
cholesterol and fat consumption include:
- Serve moderate portions of meat using
lean meats.
- Trim fat from meats before cooking,
or drain after cooking.
- Remove skin from chicken before
cooking.
- Use cooking methods other than
frying, i.e., broil, bake, steam or stir-fry food.
- Eat less sausage, bacon and processed
luncheon meats.
- Choose more vegetables, fruits,
cereal grains and starches.
- Use skim or lowfat milk, cheese,
yogurt and dairy desserts such as sherbet or ice milk.
- Limit egg yolks to four or less per
week. Use two egg whites instead of one whole egg in recipes.
- Read labels on foods for fat content.
- Use fat-rich spreads, sauces,
dressings, gravies, butter and margarine less often.
- Eat less fat-rich desserts.
| Food |
Serving
Size |
Total
fat (g) |
Sat.
fat (g) |
Mono.
fat (g) |
Poly.
fat (g) |
Cholest.
(mg) |
| Beef, lean |
3 oz. |
7.9 |
3.0 |
3.3 |
0.3 |
73 |
| Beef Liver,
braised |
3 oz. |
4.2 |
1.6 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
331 |
| Chicken,
breast, roasted |
3 oz. |
3.0 |
0.9 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
72 |
| Chicken,
leg, roasted |
3 oz. |
7.2 |
2.0 |
2.6 |
1.7 |
79 |
| Egg Yolk |
1 large |
5.1 |
1.6 |
1.9 |
0.7 |
213 |
| Fish, cod |
3 oz. |
0.7 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
40 |
| Lobster,
boiled |
3 oz. |
0.5 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
61 |
| Pork, lean |
3 oz. |
11.1 |
3.8 |
5.0 |
1.3 |
79 |
| Shrimp,
boiled |
3 oz. |
0.9 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
166 |
| Turkey,
dark, roasted |
3 oz. |
6.1 |
2.1 |
1.4 |
1.8 |
73 |
| Turkey,
light, roasted |
3 oz. |
2.7 |
0.9 |
0.5 |
0.7 |
59 |
| |
| Cheese,
cheddar |
1 oz. |
9.4 |
6.0 |
2.7 |
0.3 |
30 |
| Ice cream,
regular |
1/2 cup |
7.2 |
4.5 |
2.1 |
0.3 |
30 |
| Milk,
lowfat 2% |
1 cup |
4.7 |
2.9 |
1.4 |
0.2 |
18 |
| Milk, skim |
1 cup |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
neg |
4 |
| Milk, whole |
1 cup |
8.2 |
5.1 |
2.4 |
0.3 |
33 |
| |
| Fruits/Vegetables/Grains |
1/2-1 cup |
neg |
neg |
neg |
neg |
0 |
| |
| Butter |
1 Tbsp |
11.5 |
7.2 |
3.3 |
0.4 |
31 |
| Canola Oil |
1 Tbsp |
13.6 |
0.9 |
7.6 |
4.5 |
0 |
| Corn Oil |
1 Tbsp |
13.6 |
1.7 |
3.3 |
8.0 |
0 |
| Margarine,
soft |
1 Tbsp |
11.4 |
1.8 |
3.9 |
4.8 |
0 |
| Shortening,
hydrogenated |
1 Tbsp |
12.8 |
3.2 |
5.7 |
3.3 |
0 |
| |
| Reference:
Composition of Foods, Agriculture Handbook No 8 series, USDA |
University of Nebraska Cooperative
Extension
Path:
Home>Education>Food
and Nutrition Information>Cholesterol
in Your Blood
|
|
