Wondering About What Is cholesterol

By Author: Shivani Shetty
Total Articles: 7
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It is quite appalling to know that most men and women globally have undesirable cholesterol levels. Cholesterol leads to building up of fatty deposits and plaque on the artery walls and this causes heart ailments and problems with the blood vessels. When you go shopping, watch out for the labels on the food packages. If you come across the term “partially hydrogenated oil”, well, that’s just a fancy word for trans fat, which is to be strictly avoided. There are two main forms of cholesterol, LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein). DL is protective for our body, as it carries cholesterol from other parts of the body back to the liver. It is sometimes called “good” cholesterol. LDL, on the other hand, is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, as a high level of LDL leads to a buildup of cholesterol in our arteries, which in turn, has serious ill-effects on our health.

If you are wondering as to how to reduce cholesterol, well, you should always settle for low cholesterol Indian food recipes that are low in saturated fats, cholesterol and trans fats. On the other hand, fatty desserts ...
... made of dairy products, fatty meats, cheese and tropical oils like palm oil are to be strictly avoided. You should also stay away from trans fats like several cakes, microwave popcorn and fried foods among others. Rather, you can opt for low fat cheese, milk and yoghurt. Consume more Omega 3 foods in the form of laden fish like salmon and sardines and also use olive oil as much as you can since it is good for your heart. Besides consuming healthy foods, you should also make it a point to increase your physical activity, as it will help raise HDL, the “good cholesterol. Taking a brisk walk daily, riding your bike to work, taking up a sports, or swimming are some of the ways in which you can make a difference. Beside consuming essential fatty acids, quitting smoking will let your LDL drop and raise HDL in turn. So, if you’re a smoker, cut down immediately. It is also interesting to note that hearty doses of laughter can actually act like medicine and increase your HDL.

The “six super-foods” that have been found to actively lower cholesterol levels, include – soya foods (soya milk, soya desserts, soya nuts, etc.), a handful of nuts a day, oats and barley, plant sterols/stanols, fruits and vegetables, and foods rich in unsaturated fats, such as canola and vegetable oils. You should also look to switch to Nutralite which is a healthy table margarine. It is rich in MUFA and PUFA which are known to combat cholesterol. It is completely free of hydrogenated fats which are some of the major causes of unhealthy cholesterol.

Shivani Shetty is a leading health and nutrition expert and offers advice on cholesterol fighting foods and more.