From the article we learn about which foods increase blood cholesterol. Moreover, in the modern world there is a lot of information that is not really verified. To find the seed of truth among a huge number of different opinions is quite difficult. For topics related to human health, this is especially true.
For people who like to criticize and give advice, the word "cholesterol" has become a kind of magic wand that can be poked at those who are overweight or any other health problems. Most interestingly, often such critics themselves do not know which products increase blood cholesterol. There are many untested and incorrect facts among the people.
In the article, we will take a detailed look at all the misconceptions and find out which products actually raise blood cholesterol. Moreover, we will figure out how you can independently compose your diet so that it benefits your health. Remember that proper nutrition avoids heart and vascular disease.
His Majesty Cholesterol!
So, cholesterol is a lipid substance, that is, fat. The term comes from two Greek words, which literally translate as “bile” and “hard”. This substance received its name, since for the first time it was found in solid form in gallstones. More than 65% of cholesterol is produced by the human liver, everything else comes with food.
Probably, now many will be surprised that our own body is capable of producing such a huge amount of this "enemy". But in fact, our body is a harmonious and subtle system in which every little thing plays an important role. Cholesterol, for example, is a very important material for cell membranes and walls. He, in fact, is a "building material." Moreover, this substance is able to maintain a certain level of water in the cells, transport useful substances through membranes, and bind dangerous poisons, neutralizing their effect on the body. Incredible, right?
Thanks to this lipid, a whole chain of production of sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen, progesterone) is launched. In addition, cholesterol is involved in the formation of the hormone cortisol, which, in turn, is responsible for the metabolism and production of vitamin D. The latter regulates the balance of phosphorus and calcium in order to maintain the necessary hardness of bone tissues.
Benefit
We’ll talk about what foods raise cholesterol in the blood a bit later, but for now we’ll focus on the benefits of this substance. Note that it is with its help that the process of production of bile acids, which allow the processing of fats, is launched in the liver.
Recent studies by leading scientists have proven that cholesterol has a huge impact on human vision and mental abilities.
It is simply unbelievable that such a useful substance can cause so many health problems. But the matter is, as always, in balance.
“Good” and “Bad”
Cholesterol is conditionally divided into "bad" and "good." The substance itself is neutral, the whole point is what it is surrounded by. Note that in its pure form, a lipid cannot move through the body. It is necessarily accompanied by lipoproteins, which are a complex of fats and proteins. These compounds are capable of delivering cholesterol to each cell.
Lipoproteins
These substances have exactly the same shape, but completely different composition, size and density. There are four of their types: high, low and very low density, as well as chylomicrons.
How does it all work? High-density molecules transport cholesterol throughout the body, where it performs its most important function and benefits a person. At the same time, low-density molecules move along the same path and collect all the excess that is later delivered to the liver for processing or removal.
Thus, high-density molecules can easily dissolve in the body and not produce a residue of the substance. At this time, low molecular weight particles are almost insoluble. Moreover, they produce a lot of residual matter. It is because of this that cholesterol is divided into “bad” and “good”. Low molecular weight particles are able to combine into groups and turn into well-known plaques that cause many diseases.
Meat products
So, what foods increase cholesterol in human blood? Let's start by looking at meat dishes that many people abuse. Pork, goose, duck, lamb, lard, offal, sausages, minced meat, smoked meats - all these are harmful products that should rarely appear on the table of a person who is monitoring their health. Let them become for you a delicacy that can only be indulged in during the holidays. From the daily menu, the entire list above should be removed. You can replace with lean beef and veal, bacon and ham. But these meat products should not be too much.
As for the diet, the safest types of meat are chicken, rabbit, rabbit, game and turkey. At the same time, you should not eat such food more than 2-3 times a week.
And, of course, do not forget about the method of cooking. In no case should you grill meat for a routine meal. It is better to boil it in steam or water, bake in the oven or stew. Then it will definitely bring maximum benefit and minimum harm.
Seafood
Want to know which foods raise blood cholesterol quickly and effectively? This, of course, is seafood, but only if you are a very big fan of them. Fish in general is very healthy, but if you eat too much, it can quickly raise the concentration of the lipid in question. Do not abuse caviar, shrimp, crab, squid, etc. But at the same time, oily sea fish can be eaten at least every day, and it will not bring any harm, since it contains omega-3 acids that are incredibly useful to humans. As for the cooking method, we follow the same rules as above: no fried dishes, only baking, boiling or stewing.
Milk products
Products that increase blood cholesterol quickly include dairy products. Sour cream, milk, cream, ice cream, condensed milk and cheese can damage health if consumed in unreasonable amounts. The main thing here is to remember that in no case should dairy products be completely excluded from the diet. It would be much more reasonable to reduce their fat content to a minimum. Then you will not have to give up delicious dishes.
Eggs
What foods increase blood cholesterol effectively? This, of course, is an egg yolk, which many are advised to refuse. With regular use, it is able to very quickly increase the amount of lipid. It is worth abandoning it completely in the presence of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, however, with prevention, you can simply reduce its use several times. Egg protein is recommended to regularly add food, but not more than 3 times a week.
Vegetables and fruits
Surely you want to know which foods raise blood cholesterol and which ones don't. That's what we’ll talk about now. The good news is the fact that you can eat any vegetables and fruits. It should be remembered that they bring the most benefits fresh. If this is not possible, they should be stewed, steamed or in water. If you cook deep-fried food in compliance with all the rules, then you can equate it in terms of useful properties to food that is steamed. But remember that this does not apply to fries from the nearest fast food restaurant.
Sunflower seeds and nuts
This is another type of food that will be very healthy. Nuts contain a large number of useful acids, which are simply irreplaceable for the human body. In this case, it is better to give preference not to fried foods, but to dried ones. To make nuts taste better, they should be placed in cold water for a while.
Do not force yourself to eat these foods if you do not want to. Be sure to try adding them a little to salads, desserts, and casseroles. You will hardly notice a small amount of these products, but your body will appreciate such care.
Soups
What foods increase blood cholesterol? We began to list the list with meat and continue it with rich soups. We will say right away that they should be abandoned. As a rule, many of us are used to cooking only this way, but you have to look for alternative options, since health is more important. It is worth switching to vegetable and fish broths, which will bring maximum benefits to the body. Remember that you do not need to use frying. If you cook meat for broth, then be sure to remove the top greasy foam, because it contains the most cholesterol. A very important point that is often neglected is that chicken should always be cooked without skin. It is also not recommended to season the first courses with cream or sour cream.
Side dishes
So, we continue to find out which products increase the "bad" cholesterol in the blood. Of course, one can not help but mention the side dishes: fried potatoes, pilaf, potatoes, pasta, etc. All these dishes are most often fried, but you should definitely not do them every day. Moreover, they are always very fat, which affects the state of the body is not the best way. To significantly lower cholesterol, you have to completely relearn how to cook second courses.
You should immediately purchase a double boiler and learn how to work with the oven. You can not complicate your task and immediately buy a slow cooker that will serve you and your health. It is best to cook main courses without oil at all, but if this is not possible, then use it to a minimum. Pay attention to its quality. It should be cold pressed oil. Olive is also great.
When choosing a side dish, you should pay attention to buckwheat and oatmeal, legumes, black or brown rice.
Oils
We reviewed the first candidate from the list. Now let's talk about which foods increase the "bad" cholesterol in the blood. This, of course, is oil.
In order to recover or prevent, you should minimize the consumption of palm, coconut or butter. It’s best to just give them up. Note that coconut and palm oil do not contain cholesterol, but these products can cause obesity, which will adversely affect the level of lipid under discussion.
Even if you can’t completely give up oil, be sure to buy quality products. Choose unrefined first spin products. Such oils are not used for further cooking, but for adding to dishes fresh.
We all know that soy, sunflower or peanut butter can be found everywhere, but pay attention to such oils as amaranth, sesame and hemp. They can be easily found in health food stores.
Confectionery
What foods increase blood cholesterol? Finally, we got to the most desirable and delicious dishes, namely to confectionery. By the way, because of them, health can deteriorate in a matter of months.
It is very important to replace regular bread with products from wholemeal flour, with whole grains or bran. It is best to give preference to bread and crackers made from rye flour. You can also add pumpkin, poppy or sesame seeds to bread.
You should find out more about making bread yourself. As a rule, they are slowly dried at a low temperature. Be sure to abandon cakes, pastries, cookies and rolls.
Beverages
But what foods increase the "good" blood cholesterol? Most often, these are drinks containing milk or dairy products. If you use them sparingly, you can really improve your health. But with an abnormally high level of the lipid discussed, it is best to give up coffee and alcohol. Drinking regular tea without sugar is recommended. You should also prefer green tea. From time to time you need to use freshly squeezed juices and mineral water. It is important to monitor the quality of the water used.
We know from the list which foods increase blood cholesterol, but we have not yet mentioned such harmful elements as mayonnaises and sauces. We must say right away that it’s worth giving up not only them, but also chips, salted nuts, chocolate bars, food from fast-food establishments and semi-finished products. All this should be banned if you seek recovery.
So, today we learned which foods increase cholesterol in the blood, and which ones lower. From this it can be concluded that products that contain a lot of saturated fats increase the level of "bad" lipid. If you really care about the question of cholesterol level, just go on a proper diet and the need to follow a certain diet will go away on its own.
Many people completely unreasonably underestimate the possibility of switching to a reasonable diet. But it is an effective alternative to medicines. Unfortunately, it is much easier for patients to stuff themselves with chemical medicines than to regain their health in a natural way. And now note that the normal cholesterol level is up to 5 mmol / l; slightly increased - up to 6.5 mmol / l; critical - up to 7.7 mmol / l; life-threatening - more than 7.7 mmol / l.
It will be useful to know that not only foods can cause an increase in cholesterol. Unhealthy and poor nutrition, lack of exercise, obesity, alcohol abuse, and hereditary factors can contribute to this.
In any case, remember that in this fight against cholesterol, much depends on you!