The problems of high cholesterol have risen in recent years and it is just because of the mere fact that people are not at all bothered or conscious about their health, they hardly consider the foods that they eat and how our food habits can directly affect our health. The problems of cholesterol happen when we eat a lot of foods that are high in saturated fats and worse if it is consumed in larger quantities regularly.
If you happen to be conscious of your health, then you need to take precautions in advance, rather than resorting to the issues after it has affected us. Diet is perhaps the most crucial factor when it comes to maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol.
What is cholesterol and why is it bad, when high?
Cholesterol is a white sterol (somewhat alcohol type) that is found in our cells. It is important and needed our cells to protect us from the harmful free radicals. It also aids in our digestive process, helps us deal with stressful conditions and is also used by our body in the repair of damaged walls of the arteries. According to the best dietitian in Delhi, cholesterol is found in many foods that we eat daily and also are produced by our body in the liver. But, the problem occurs when due to the collective nature of cholesterol and when in extra quantities in the body, it starts accumulating and causes blockages, hampering blood flow and increasing the chances of high blood pressure.
The human body has two types of cholesterols – the good ones called HDL and the bad ones called LDL. When the levels of the bad ones rise, all sorts of cholesterol-related issues start occurring. It mainly happens when we start consuming more foods with bad ones and less of the good ones. The good cholesterol counters the bad ones, by reducing its production and absorption in the body.
What are the foods that we should always avoid for cholesterol?
A normal dietary habit should be to avoid the foods that are high in bad cholesterol and replace them with the ones with higher levels of good cholesterols. Simultaneously, high fat utilisation ought to likewise be observed, as unsaturated fats tend to bind with our liver cells and together controls the creation of cholesterol.
We should be very careful and observant of our fat intakes, that how much and which type are we eating. Each fat affects cholesterol at different levels.
Type 1: The Saturated Fats
These are bad and mainly found in meats and dairy products. They propagate the liver to produce more LDL, the bad cholesterol.
Type2: The Unsaturated Fats
This sort of fat is basic in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, beans, plant nourishments, and fishes. A large number of these fats help in expanding the rate at which our liver separates terrible cholesterol and reabsorbs them.
Type 3: The Trans Fats
These types of fats are usually solidified forms of vegetable oil and an artificial process called hydrogenation is used to manufacture them. Packaged, fried and baked foods contain these types of fats and are not at all considered good if consumed regularly. They are the worst type of fat because not only do they increase levels of bad cholesterol in the body, they also lower the levels of the good ones.
According to expert and acclaimed dietitian, Nmami Agarwal of Nmami Life, while we were young, we hardly bothered what we are eating. High cholesterol and heart diseases are deadly, as much as we love continuing with our teenage habits of eating, when diagnosed with these issues, we should seriously start monitoring what we should eat and whatnot.
She explains some of the worst foods for cholesterol:
- French Fries: Due to the presence of hydrogenated vegetable oils in French Fries, they are a high cholesterol food. Foods with hydrogenated oil, as we know by now contain Trans fats.
- Butter: Almost everything that we buy to eat from the market has butter. It is always better to swap that with the ones that have some vegetable oil instead.
- Red Meat: Beef, lamb and pork have more cholesterol and soaked fats than some other meats. These foods can make matters worse if you already are suffering from heart diseases and high cholesterol levels.
- Chicken Fried: We all enjoy and can’t resist this delicacy. But do you know that deep-fried chicken contains higher doses of cholesterol like cheeseburgers and alike?
- Cheesy Meat Burgers: The meat patty in between is something that we all long for in the evenings with yes, the extra cheese topping. It is a must to avoid food if you are serious about maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
- Ice Creams: It is not at all advisable for those who already have cholesterol issues. It has a bigger number of fats than your mushy meat burger and a greater number of cholesterols than your doughnuts or muffins.
- Shellfishes: Though they are recommended for numerous health benefits, people with high cholesterol issues should avoid them. They are very high in cholesterols.
- Margarine: Was introduced as a healthy and cheaper alternative of butter, margarine could be loaded with cholesterol and the reason being that, it is made from saturated vegetable oils. They also contain hydrogenated oils and a large number of trans fats.
- Baked Goods: The ones that are especially made industrially are loaded up with trans fats because of the utilization of hydrogenated vegetable oils. If you like them, bake them at home.
- Pop-Corns: The health aspect of popcorns can be determined by how you have cooked the. Microwaved ones are loaded with oil, butter, and salt and these extra wants loads of cholesterol to it.
As you look for ways and foods to stay healthy and maintain healthy cholesterol levels, do remember these above-mentioned foods too.
