Cholesterol is considered an enemy and for many years we were warned against it, even "banned" from eating too many eggs because the yolk contains cholesterol. Today, in light of scientific research and insights, we already know that cholesterol consumption should be reduced, but that the picture is much more complicated and complex. In this article, we will try to make an order and understand: What is cholesterol anyway?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that has important roles in the body, such as building the body's membrane (membrane), production of hormones, vitamin D, bile salts, and more. Cholesterol is mostly produced in the liver, and carried in the bloodstream and transmitted through it to all body cells on proteins called lipoproteins (lipo = fat, protein = protein), which are also produced in the liver. There are two types of lipoproteins and they are the ones that define the type of cholesterol.
The bad cholesterol
Bad cholesterol is carried in the bloodstream over low-density lipoprotein LDL. This cholesterol is considered bad because of its tendency to produce scleral sediment in the walls of blood vessels, called plaque. In fact, the real enemy is the same plaque, which sinks and accumulates in the walls of the blood vessels, causing atherosclerosis that can block the blood vessels. When the coronary artery is blocked, it is the artery that supplies blood to the heart, a specific area of the heart muscle undergoes necrosis and subsequently forms a scar area. In other words: a heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction. When the blockage is in one of the arteries that supply blood to the brain, a brain event, also called stroke, is created.
This is why it is so important to maintain high cholesterol and, above all, the bad cholesterol.
The good cholesterol
Carried in the bloodstream by high-density lipoprotein HDL high-density lipoprotein, its job is to absorb the bad cholesterol residues and carry it in the liver to the liver. That is, keep it away from the walls of blood vessels. Therefore, the good cholesterol we actually want in our blood vessels, as high levels of good cholesterol actually help and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
How can good cholesterol and bad cholesterol be affected?
It is important to understand that most of the cholesterol (about 70%) the body produces on its own and only about 30% of the cholesterol we have in the bloodstream comes from a diet. Therefore, a significant increase in bad cholesterol found in blood tests is usually the result of genetic predisposition. In such cases, medication use is usually recommended.
There are also some nutritional supplements that may be helpful, including nostrils and essential omega 3 fatty acids.
As mentioned above, food also contributes to raising the level of cholesterol in the blood, and therefore, through a change in diet, cholesterol levels can be lowered. There are some types of foods you should underestimate by eating them: foods that are high in saturated fat derived mainly from animal foods, such as high-fat dairy products, meat products, and especially processed meat.
There are also two types of saturated vegetable fat - coconut oil and palm oil - that are found mainly in sweets and pastries.
Trans fat, which is a vegetable fat that has undergone a chemical process called hydrogenation, also raises cholesterol levels. Trans fat is found in margarine and whatever it contains, like mini baked goods and more. A recommendation is to avoid it as much as possible.
On the other hand, there are also foods that reduce cholesterol levels, such as monounsaturated fat, which is found mainly in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and almonds. Monounsaturated fat helps reduce bad cholesterol. So is dietary fiber: Studies have shown that increasing dietary fiber intake can reduce bad cholesterol, LDL.
It should also be emphasized that exercising for 30 minutes a day helps raise good cholesterol, HDL, and lowers bad cholesterol, LDL, and, of course, helps to lose weight.
