It is very tempting to think of cholesterol as being something bad and unhealthy because it gets such bad press. However, it is important to realise that cholesterol plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy body. Cholesterol is produced by the liver and in fact your body is very good at producing the exact amount that it needs. The problem is our western diet which is very reliant on processed foods. These tend to have extra fats added to them to improve flavour, but the side effect is that we end up with an excess of cholesterol floating around our body.
Our diet is the one thing that we can directly control. After all, the body makes all the cholesterol we need so it does not need any extra. The biggest contributor to increasing our cholesterol level is saturated fat and there is plenty of that in our western diet. Believe me, despite any recent hype you may have seen on the television, junk food such as hamburgers, sausages and pies are loaded with all the things we most definitely do not need to eat in order to survive. Watch out for those dairy products as well, cheese and cream plays a big part in increasing that extra cholesterol in our blood stream.
So, what can we eat without increasing our risk of heart disease? First of all, watch out for saturated fats which are present in junk foods. Look for lean cuts of meat and also consider using the low fat milks that are available. Increase the amount of fish that you eat as this will boost your omega 3 levels which are another vital ally in your fight against cholesterol. Finally, increase your fibre intake by eating more fruit and vegetables.
Cooking methods are also important. Avoid frying food where possible, especially deep fat frying. Boil, roast or grill your food as this will reduce your fat intake and food also tastes better.
Monday, 14 September 2009
Sunday, 13 September 2009
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