We have all heard that cholesterol is a bad thing that causes heart attacks. But do you know that cholesterol by itself is not bad? Surprised? Like so many other nutrients, cholesterol helps to keep your body healthy. However, if you have it too much in your blood, it combines with other substances, and then causes blockage in the arteries.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat like substance which occurs naturally in our body. Your body gets cholesterol from two sources: your body itself and the food you eat. Your liver and other body cells make about 75% of blood cholesterol and the 25% comes from the food you eat. Animal products are the source of cholesterol.
There are two types of cholesterol: bad cholesterol and good cholesterol. Much of one type or too less of the other type can create a high risk of heart disease to you.
HDL, which is good cholesterol, helps to prevent the artery blockage by LDL, which is the bad cholesterol. Good levels of HDL in your blood prevent heart attack or stroke. And high levels of LDL in your blood put you at a high risk of heart attack or coronary artery blockage by blood clots.
Sources of good cholesterol
Omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats are ‘good’ fats. These include fatty fish like salmon and herring, vegetable oils, olive oil, canola oil, soy nuts, many types of seeds like flax seeds, beans and nuts like almonds, peanuts, raisins.
Regular physical activity helps you to increase HDL levels in blood. And cigarette smoking decreases the HDL levels from your blood.
If LDL is more than 130 mg/DL and HDL is less than 40 mg/DL, it puts you on high risk of heart attack. So now armed with this information, choose foods with healthy cholesterol next time.
