The Truth About Fats, Trans-Fats and Cholesterol

The Cholesterol Story. There's a good and bad side to fats. The general misconception that all of them are bad for you simply is not true. And the most maligned of all is cholesterol. Practically everyone knows that cholesterol can be responsible for arteriosclerosis, heart attacks, and a variety of illnesses, but very few are aware of the ways that it is essential to health.

At least two-thirds of your body cholesterol is produced by the liver or in the intestine. It is found there as well as in the brain, the adrenals, and nerve fiber sheaths. And when it's good, it's very, very good:

• Cholesterol in the skin is converted to essential vitamin D when touched by the sun's ultraviolet rays.
• Cholesterol aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates. The more carbohydrates ingested, the more cholesterol produced.
• Cholesterol is a prime supplier of life-essential adrenal steroid hormones, such as cortisone.
• Cholesterol is a component of every cell membrane and necessary for the production of male and female sex hormones.

Differences in the behavior of cholesterol depend upon the protein to which it is bound. Lipoproteins are the factors in our blood that transport cholesterol.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carry about 65% of blood cholesterol and are responsible for depositing the cholesterol in the arteries where, joined by other substances, it becomes artery-blocking plaque.

Very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) carry only about 15% of blood cholesterol but are the substances the liver needs and uses to produce LDL. The more of them, the more LDL the liver sends out and the greater your chance of heart disease.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) carry about 20% of blood cholesterol and, composed principally of lecithin, it breaks up the plaque and can transport cholesterol through the blood without clogging arteries. The higher your HDL the lower your risk of developing heart disease.

 

 

Cholesterol Levels When people talk about their cholesterol levels, they're referring to the total amount of cholesterol in their blood (serum cholesterol). The amounts are measured in milligrams per deciliter; the accepted levels—for everyone—should not exceed 200 mg/dl.

The ratio of HDL to LDL is as important as the ratio of HDL to your total cholesterol level. The more HDL you have, the more protection you have against clogged arteries.

Blood cholesterol tests will ususally also measure your levels of triglycerides. These fats differ from cholesterol, but there is a connection between them: Although you can have high triglyceride levels without high cholesterol (and vice versa), lowering triglyceride levels does seem to help bring down cholesterol.

Keeping your daily fat intake to no more than 30% (and preferably 20%) of total calories consumed is vital to leveling off elevated cholesterol levels. And no more than 10% of that fat should be saturated.

Saturated Fat vs. Unsaturated Fat Saturated fat comes from animal sources (with a few exceptions, notably coconut and palm oils, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils), and all animal fats contain cholesterol. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fat (be it mono- or polyunsaturated) comes from vegetable sources—and no vegetable or fruits contain cholesterol. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.

Trans-Fatty Acids When foodmakers realized that consumers were becoming aware that saturated fats were bad for them, they began replacing "sat fats" with trans-fatty acids—unsaturated oils to which hydrogen has been added, making them thick enough to use in baked goods and margarine. Trans-fat also gave packaged foods a longer shelf life and was thought to make all food safer. But on the label it did not have to be listed as fat. All consumers saw on the ingredient list was a "hydrogenated" oil—and that didn't sound bad at all.

It was soon learned that even small quantities of trans-fatty acids could raise LDL levels, lower HDL levels, and seriously increase the risk of diabetes. But because of old labeling laws, dozens of cookies, crackers, snacks, and fast foods loaded with trans-fatty acids could legally be called "fat-free"—with the average consumer none the wiser or healthier for it.

It took an obesity epidemic and a slew of possible lawsuits to get some action, but the Food and Drug Administration ruled that beginning January 1, 2006, trans-fat grams must be listed right below the sat-fat line on the Nutrition Facts labels.

Trans-fats are sometimes where you least expect them (Nabisco's animal crackers, for instance), so reading labels is essential. Your combined daily intake of saturated and trans-fats should not rise above 20 g, and if you're at risk for heart disease, you should keep it at 15 g, or less.

Foods, Nutrients, and Dietary Supplements that Can Help Lower Your Cholesterol The following is a list of foods, nutrients and cholesterol-lowering supplements.

Before using any supplement to reduce high cholesterol, consult your doctor. Switching from prescription drugs to supplements or adding a supplement to a drug regimen on your own is dangerous. And remember, no food, nutrient or supplement is a magic bullet; a low-fat diet and regular exercise are still necessary to lower high cholesterol.

What's Raising Your Cholesterol? Many things that you might not be aware of can be raising your cholesterol levels or undermining your efforts to lower them. Here are a few you should think about: Smoking, caffeine, stress, the pill, refined sugar, food additives.

What Are Lipotropics? Methionine, choline, inositol, and betaine are all lipotropics, which means their prime function is to prevent abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat in the liver. Lipotropics also increase the liver's production of lecitin, which keeps from forming dangerious deposits in blood vessels, lessening chances of heart attack, arteriosclerosis, and gallstone formation as well. Out bodies need lipotropics, and those on high-protein diet need more than others.