BY MICHELE LIM
DIETARY
3.6
CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol comes from the food that we eat every day,
but why is it important that we control
our cholesterol intake?
Reducing Dietary Cholesterol and
Coronary Heart Disease
Dietary cholesterol is the cholesterol derived from the food that we consume, and can be found in animal-based foods such as meats and poultry. Our body uses dietary cholesterol to support our body’s cells and to create various hormones that catalyze the digestion of food particles. The two main types of cholesterol are low-density lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol) that, along with triglycerides (a type of fat made by the body), contribute to our total cholesterol level.
LDL cholesterol is deemed as the “bad” cholesterol as it accumulates in our body, eventually blocking arteries - blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart all across the body - through plaques, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. Linked to high blood cholesterol, reducing LDL cholesterol counts can prevent these coronary heart diseases - diseases related to the heart - and allow us to live healthy lives. The National Institute of Health recommends our LDL cholesterol be less than 100 mg/dl. Triglycerides is linked to coronary heart diseases as it can raise LDL cholesterol levels.
HDL cholesterol is deemed as the “good” cholesterol because it helps carry cholesterol away from our organs to our liver where it can be removed. It is important to maintain high HDL cholesterol, which can be done by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking.
The main type of cholesterol to lower is LDL as it has a direct connection to coronary heart diseases. If you want to live a long, healthy life, performing actions such as playing baseball or running without worrying about facing a sudden stroke, it is important to keep an eye on your dietary cholesterol level. Maintain low LDL and triglyceride levels with high HDL levels to live a long, happy life!