What is bad and good cholesterol?
The cholesterol flowing in your blood vessels is not actually the dreadful character medical science pictured it to be, particularly if good cholesterol offsets bad cholesterol. The truth is, in order to have a healthy body, our body should avoid the bad cholesterol known as LDL (low-Density Lipoproteins), at the same time our body needs sufficient amount of the good cholesterol known as HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein). Read on to learn more about the difference between the two:
Both LDL and HDL are important to our body–LDL injects cholesterol to the bloodstream needed in the production of hormones and bile salts in the liver. Also, LDL aids in the distribution of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E, K through your bloodstream. While HDL main function is to deliver cholesterol back to the liver for disposal.
Since LDL ferries cholesterol to the blood, there is a big risk that increase in cholesterol level might trigger plaque be deposited in the arteries and blood vessels walls. These plaque will eventually blocks blood from flowing to the heart. This is the reason why LDL is commonly referred to as bad cholesterol. The liver produces LDL and the food we eat have nothing to do with the production of LDL. In contrast, HDL brings cholesterol to the liver, in the process be broken down and excreted. Like LDL, the liver produces HDL and does not directly come from food sources.
To make it easier to understand, LDL transports cholesterol from the liver to the blood while HDL ferries cholesterol from the blood to the liver.
How to keep bad cholesterol (LDL) at a safe level:
* Watch your total fat intake. Stay away from eating visible fat, like visible fat found at the end of the barbeque.
* Design and apply new cooking techniques. As an alternative for frying, why not try steaming or grilling your food.
* Since cholesterol is only found in animal product, prefer vegetables over meat.
* Limit your intake of chips cookies, donuts, muffins, and croissants.
* Eat lots of fiber. * Watch your weight by ridding off unnecessary weight.
How to increase good cholesterol (HDL):
* Stay physically active.
* Quit smoking.
* Use cooking oils higher in monounsaturated fats such as canola oil or olive oil.
* Substitute your protein source with soy-based foods.
* Choose lean meats.
* Keep a healthy weight.
