REDUCING CHOLESTEROL

Fat – It’s Only Part of Where It’s At!

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy fat steroid It is manufactured in the :

Liver Intestines Adrenal glands Sex organs

Cholesterol is only synthesized in animals

The Good…

Cholesterol is a very important compound!

It is needed to produce: Cell membranes Myelin Vitamin D Steroid hormones Bile acids

The Bad…

High blood cholesterol levels are stronglyconnected to Atherosclerosis Coronary artery disease

Saturated fat will elevate “bad” (LDL) cholesterol more than any other type of fat

Trans fat raises LDL cholesterol like saturated fat

The Ugly…

Americans tend to be an obese and sedentary population with excess calorie intake

Many like a diet with excess animal protein that is high in saturated fat and cholesterol

Many enjoy the convenience of processed foods that can contain high levels of total fat and trans fat

The number one killer of Americans is coronary artery disease.

So What To Do?Give Yourself Some TLC!

Eat less than 7% of total fat calories as saturated fat

Limit dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg/d

Keep total fat consumed in the range of 25% to 35% of total calories

More TLC…

Add 2 grams of plant stanols or sterols to your diet each day

Include 10 – 25 grams of soluble fiber in your diet each day

Work on managing your weight (overweight raises LDL cholesterol and triglycerides)

Exercise! It increases your “good” (HDL) cholesterol

Foods with Soluble FiberHave more of these!

Oatmeal and oat bran Barley Beans and lentils Citrus fruits like oranges and

grapefruit Apples and pears Peaches and nectarines Prunes and plums Bananas

More foods that can help…

Soy protein Nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans,

pistachios) Cold water fish with Omega-3- fatty

acidsreduces risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)

Alcohol (!?)One drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men is associated with lower risk of CVD

High Cholesterol FoodsPortion Control Please!

Any food with animal fat has cholesterol Foods with lots of dietary cholesterol:

Cheese Egg yolk Beef Pork Poultry (esp. skin) Shrimp

Foods High in Saturated Fat

Cut back! Both animal and vegetable foods can be high in saturated fat

High saturated fat foods include: Fatty cuts of meat Poultry especially with the skin Whole-milk dairy products Some vegetable oils

especially coconut and palm oil

Foods High in Trans Fat Limit these!

Any food made with hydrogenated oil or fat Stick margarine is high in trans fat Other high trans fat foods can include:

Crackers Cookies Peanut butter Pastries Cakes and pies

You have to read the Food Facts Label to be sure!

When choosing processed foods

Use the Nutrition Facts Label Calories and Calories from fat (less) Trans Fat and Sat Fat (less) Dietary Fiber (more)

Check the ingredient list & avoid: Hydrogenated oils

Excellent Resources!

National Cholesterol Education Month Your Guide to Lowering Cholesterol with TLC It’s About Eating Right! High Cholesterol: Understanding Your Risks History of Cholesterol