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What
is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a thick fatty substance present in our blood.
It helps make membranes that cover our cells, certain essential hormones and vitamin
D.
Where does cholesterol come from?
We get cholesterol in two ways -
In
the body, blood cholesterol is made in the liver, which produces all the cholesterol
the body needs.
Dietary cholesterol comes from the foods we eat.
Which
foods are the rich sources of cholesterol?
Animal foods like meats, whole
milk dairy foods, egg yolks, poultry and fish are all good sources of cholesterol.
Foods from plants, like vegetables, fruits, grains, and cereals, do not have any
dietary cholesterol. Foods like ghee, butter and cream does not contain cholesterol
but when consumed in the body, the saturated fats present in them have the capacity
to get converted to cholesterol.
What happens when you eat food rich in cholesterol?
When we overeat
high cholesterol foods, its level in the blood rises up above their normal limits
leading to its deposition in the arteries which is the root cause of most heart
problems.
Is all cholesterol in our body bad?
No, not all cholesterol is bad.
However, very few people know that some amount of cholesterol is essential for
our body. Some amount is important as it forms a protective sheath around the
nerves and helps in the production of vital hormones and vitamin D.
What is the connection between cholesterol and lipoproteins?
Like oil
and water, cholesterol and blood do not mix. It has to be circulated in the blood
through carriers viz. lipoproteins. The two types of lipoprotein, which need to
be focused on are - HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) and LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein). What
is HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol?
HDL is the good cholesterol
as it carries excess cholesterol in the blood back to the liver for recycling
thus avoiding its deposition in the arteries which is why it is called good cholesterol.
So a high level of HDL in the blood protects from heart diseases while its low
levels increase the risk of heart diseases.
What is LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol?
LDL carries maximum
cholesterol in the blood. It is the bad cholesterol as it carries cholesterol
to the cells where it gets deposited. If we tend to eat too much of fat, then
the liver makes extra LDL cholesterol which gets deposited in cells and released
in the blood which in turn causes havoc. So the lesser the LDL cholesterol, the
greater is minimising risk of heart disease. What
are Triglycerides?
Triglyceride is another type of fat in our blood. It
is important to maintain the functioning of all organs in our body and to keep
body temperature at a normal level. Where
does triglyceride come from?
Like cholesterol, triglycerides too come partly
as a result of metabolism and partly from food. Which
foods are the rich sources of triglyceride?
Foods like butter, cream, ghee
and non-vegetarian foods are rich sources of triglyceride. Are
triglycerides necessary for the human body?
Although necessary, high levels
of triglycerides combine with fat deposits in the arteries and increase the risk
of heart disease. What
levels of fat are good for the heart?
Listed below are the desirable levels
of all fats that are good for a healthy heart.
| Type
of Fat | Desirable
Level | Borderline
Risk | High
Risk | | Blood
cholesterol | less
than 200 mg/dl | 201
to 239 mg/dl | more
than 240 mg/dl | | Blood
triglyceride | less
than 200 mg/dl | 201
to 399 mg/dl | more
than 400 mg/dl | | Blood
LDL | less
than130 mg/dl | 131
to 160 mg/dl | more
than 160 mg/dl | | Blood
HDL | more
than 41 mg/dl | less
than 40 mg/dl | less
than 20 mg/dl |
Here
is what these levels are indicative of :
Desirable Level : This is the
level we need to maintain in our blood for the maintenance of our body cells.
There is no risk of heart disease if the cholesterol and triglyceride levels are
maintained at this level. Borderline
Risk :
This is the level slightly above the normal levels. You need to be cautious as
at this stage you are at slight risk of heart attack as compared to those who
have normal levels. Being cautious about what you eat this stage with a good exercise
regime will definitely help you to lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels
and avoid heart diseases too. High
Risk :
At this level you are at twice the risk for developing heart problems as compared
to those in the borderline risk. You need to start with a low cholesterol diet
along with proper exercise under a doctor's or nutritionist's guidance and check
your levels after a couple of months.
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