We all think that all FAT is bad for us. This is not true.
Fat can fight fat looks fishy. This is true because some fats are called good fats. Which are good for fighting our body cholesterol?
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat (lipid) which is produced by the liver and is crucial for normal body functioning. Cholesterol exists in the outer layer of every cell in our body and has many functions. It is a waxy steroid and is transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is the main sterol synthesized by animals - small amounts are also synthesized in plants and fungi.
The word "cholesterol" comes from the Greek word chole, meaning "bile", and the Greek word stereos, meaning "solid, stiff".
Since your body makes about 80% of its cholesterol, the other 20% comes from the foods you eat. Dietary cholesterol is only found in foods of animal origin, such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. All individuals (and especially people with high cholesterol levels) should limit their intake of dietary cholesterol to less than 300 milligrams daily. But as you'll soon learn, limiting your dietary cholesterol intake is only a small part of a cholesterol-lowering diet. The types of fat you eat can have a much larger affect on your cholesterol levels...
After the low-fat and fat-free craze of the nineties, many people still fear fat or just don't understand it. It may come as a surprise that fat is very valuable to your health. Some kinds are good for you, while others are not.
When you’re making food choices, the types of fats you choose are just as (if not more) important than the amount of cholesterol the food contains.
These heart-healthy fats are part of a cholesterol-lowering diet:
TOP 3 Good Fats
1. Monounsaturated Fats are the healthiest fats.
They decrease your total blood cholesterol but maintain your HDL (good) cholesterol. Ideally, most of the fat in your diet should come from this group, which includes:
Almonds
Cashews
Canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil
Hazelnuts
Avocadoes
Macadamia nuts
Natural peanut butter,
Olives
Pecans
Peanuts,
Pistachios
Sesame seeds
Tahini paste
Margarine (Bad partially hydrogenated)
Certain s (those made primarily of the oils listed above) also falls into this healthy category of fats. But exercise caution when choosing one. Avoid those that list any form of "partially hydrogenated" oil in the list, which is a red flag for unhealthy Trans fats
2. Polyunsaturated Fats
They are somewhat healthy fats that decrease your total blood cholesterol by lowering both the LDL (bad) cholesterol and the HDL (good) cholesterol. Lowering your total cholesterol is great, but because these fats also lower your HDL (good) cholesterol, you should only enjoy them in moderation. You'll find polyunsaturated fats in
Corn oil
Mayonnaise,
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds.
3. Special Polyunsaturated fats (Omega-3 fatty acids)
A special group of polyunsaturated fats is called Omega-3 fatty acids. These are heart-healthy and can be found in
High-fat fish (albacore tuna, mackerel and salmon)
Seafood (herring, lake trout, oysters, sardines, shellfish and shrimp)
Plant sources (butternuts (white walnuts), flaxseed, flaxseed oil, hempseed, hempseed oil, soybean oil, and walnuts).
Certain margarines and most salad dressings (those made primarily of polyunsaturated or omega-3 fats) also fall into this somewhat healthy category.
Now that you know which fats to include as part of your cholesterol-lowering plan, it's time to learn about the types of fats that are bad for your health.
TOP 2 Bad Fats
1. Saturated fat Unhealthy fats (To lower your cholesterol, avoid these)
Saturated fat is unhealthy fat that increases both your total cholesterol and your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Some experts say that limiting your saturated fat intake is one of the most important cholesterol-lowering tips you can follow. No more than 10% of your calories should come from saturated fats—that's about 15-25 grams daily, depending on your calorie needs. Keep this number as low as possible. Try to limit or avoid these sources of saturated fat:
Bacon,
Bacon grease,
Beef
Butter,
Cheese,
Cocoa butter,
Coconut
Coconut milk,
Cream,
Cream cheese,
Ice cream,
Lard,
Palm kernel oil, palm oil, Coconut oil,
Pork,
Poultry
Sour cream,
Whole milk.
Trans fat (ALL JUNK and Fried FOOD)
This one is the unhealthiest fat you can eat! It increases your total cholesterol and your LDL (bad) cholesterol while lowering your HDL (good) cholesterol. Even eating a small amount of Trans fats significantly increases your risk of heart disease—especially if you already have risk factors like high cholesterol. Limit your intake of Trans fats as much as possible. Experts haven't established any level of Trans fats as safe, so keep you intake near 0 grams. Food products that contain Trans fat include:
Vegetable shortenings
Hard stick margarines
Crackers
Candies
Cookies
Snack foods
Most Fried foods
Doughnuts
Pastries
Baking mixes
Icings
Store-bought baked goods
Conclusion:
Although some fats (monounsaturated, Omega-3's) are healthier than others (saturated and trans fats), it's important to remember that fats are still high in calories. Consuming too many—even the healthy ones—can result in weight gain. So limit your total fat intake to less than 30% of your total calories each day. This is about 45-65 grams each day (more or less depending on your calorie needs). Of course, there is more to a cholesterol-lowering plan than eating good fats and avoiding bad ones. Exercise, weight loss, a healthy diet and not smoking also play important roles.
