Cholesterol - what is it and why does it matter?
Cholesterol. We have all heard about it. It has been all over products and labels since before I can remember. But what exactly is cholesterol? And how does it play a role in our daily lives?
These are the questions (plus more) that we are going to answer in this weekโs blog post!
What is cholesterol?
In simple terms, cholesterol is a byproduct of the fats we eat in our diet.
There are multiple types of fat that we obtain from our diet, and most of it is necessary for vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K absorption (the fat-soluble vitamins). Once that fat is broken down during the digestion process, cholesterol is formed and then absorbed into the cells of our intestine. Then, the cholesterol is made into triglycerides and phosphoglycerides, which the body uses ultimately for energy production in times of starvation, energy storage, cell membrane formation, and to make hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.
The crazy thing about cholesterol is that your body doesnโt actually need fat from the diet to make it (thatโs because it plays such a huge role in metabolism). In times where dietary fat is not abundant, your liver can make cholesterol to make sure that the body can still carry out its metabolic functions easily.
So if my body makes it, why is everyone concerned about it?
This is where diet comes into play.
If youโre like the average American, your body is getting plenty of fat from the things that youโre eating and drinking. The fat from the diet is broken down, cholesterol is created as a byproduct, and then it is used for whatever cellular processes the body needs at the time. BUT if it gets too much fat, and too much cholesterol is made, it all becomes stored in your arteries. This makes the arteries more narrow (a condition called atherosclerosis), which causes your heart to work harder because it still has to pump blood throughout your entire body. If your heart is working harder, eventually, itโs going to tire out earlier than it needs to. Or your arteries become blocked, and your heart (and the rest of your body) will no longer be able to get the blood it needs, causing it to stop. And that is no bueno.
This is a healthy artery vs. an artery that has plaque buildup (plaque is caused by fatty deposits that cholesterol contributes to). The blue arrow shows how the blood flow is affected.
Good fat vs. bad fat
Thanks to avocados, most of us have heard the term โgood fat.โ But what exactly does this mean? And where does cholesterol fit in?
Basically, there are two types of cholesterol (and yes, one is good and one is bad). You have HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein). Your HDL is the โgoodโ cholesterol, and LDL is the โbad.โ Your LDL is what builds up and causes your arteries to narrow, and your HDL works to carry away extra LDL to prevent that from happening. The video below does a great job of explaining the two, if you prefer a visual.
How do I make sure my HDL is good enough?
-WITH YOUR DIET OF COURSE!-
One of the most controllable ways to make sure that your cholesterol levels are where they need to be is to eat a diet that is low in saturated fat. And if youโre wondering the difference between saturated fat and unsaturated fat, Iโll tell you real quick.
The names just refer to where the location of the double bond is in the chemical structure. Saturated fats have all single bonds (with chains looking like this C-C-C) and unsaturated fats have double bonds (with chains looking like this C=C-C).
Eating a diet high in saturated fats can cause cholesterol to build up in your blood that can eventually be stored in your arteries. This happens because your body can break the single bond in the fat easier than it can the double bond, which causes your body to break down the fat quicker than it can be used, causing it to build up.
Foods high in saturated fat
These foods should be eaten in moderation and not excluded from your diet!
Butter
Coconut oil, safflower oil
Cheese
Red meat (beef, pork, lamb)
Chicken with the skin on
Full-fat dairy products, like whole milk
Sugar sweetened beverages (soda, fruit juice concentrate)
Foods high in unsaturated fat
Fruits and vegetables (yes, literally this broad category. Why do you think we push them so much?)
Whole grains
Poultry (chicken, turkey)
Nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans)
Avocado
Ultimately, the goal is to eat more foods that are high in unsaturated fat (the โgood fatโ) and eat less of the foods that are high in saturated fat. This will keep your LDL low, your HDL high, and your arteries clear and happy!
Do you want help balancing the good vs. bad fats in your diet? Click below for a free consultation and let me help you!
Sources
Saturated Fat. www.heart.org. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/saturated-fats. Accessed June 15, 2021.
Causes of High Cholesterol. www.heart.org. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/causes-of-high-cholesterol. Accessed June 15, 2021.
Mouritsen OG, Zuckermann MJ. What's so special about cholesterol? Lipids. 2004;39(11):1101-1113. doi:10.1007/s11745-004-1336-x
