Eat to Control Your Blood Cholesterol Level

Whether you're among the thousands with a high blood cholesterol level or you just want to make sure your cholesterol level stays low, reducing saturated fat in your diet should be your top priority.

A few facts about cholesterol:

• Cholesterol is essential to your body's chemistry. But you don't have to consume any: The body is able to manufacture all the cholesterol it needs.

• All animals produce cholesterol. So foods from animal sources, such as egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, and milk products, contain cholesterol. Plants do not produce cholesterol, so grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts do not contain cholesterol.

• Heredity determines how much cholesterol the body makes. In other words, some people manufacture more cholesterol than other people do, depending on their genes. The upshot is that your neighbor might eat bacon burgers until they come out of his ears and have a low blood cholesterol level, while you eat nothing but sprouts and nonfat cream cheese and your cholesterol level is dangerously high.

• Your body can adjust somewhat. If you regularly consume foods from animal sources, your body slows down its production of cholesterol. If you eat mostly foods from plant sources, your body manufactures more cholesterol to get the amount it needs. However, saturated fat can disrupt the body's cholesterol balancing mechanism.

• The amount of cholesterol in the foods you eat is not the most important "no-no". The amount of saturated fat consumed has the greatest dietary effect on blood cholesterol levels. Total fat intake and total calorie intake are important as well. In fact, if you cut the total amount of fat in your diet, you'll probably also cut your cholesterol intake, since most high-cholesterol foods contain a lot of fat.

• Cholesterol is distributed throughout the body by lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often referred to as "bad" cholesterol, carries cholesterol to the cells. The cholesterol that is not used by the cells can build up on artery walls. This build up, known as atherosclerosis, may decrease blood flow through the arteries and lead to heart attacks and strokes. High-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol) helps rid the body of cholesterol by carrying it to the liver where it is excreted.

• The ratio of LDL to HDL is what counts. In other words, a high total cholesterol level (LDL plus HDL) may not be so bad if you have a high level of HDL. Likewise, a low total cholesterol may not be as good as it seems, if the HDL is very low. Here's the straight scoop: A desirable level of LDL is below 130, and a desirable level of HDL is 35 and above.

Now that you know the technical details, here are the five commandments for a cholesterol lowering diet:

• Reduce the amount of fat in your diet. No more than 30 percent of your overall calories should come from fat. You can reduce the percentage of fat you consume to ten percent of calories without any adverse health effects. (The exception to this rule is for babies and children, who need a higher amount of fat in their diets to grow properly) Don't give skim or low-fat milk to a child younger than aged two years.)

• Sharply reduce your use of saturated and hydrogenated fats. Also, avoid palm oil and coconut oil, which are solid at room temperature and have the same effect on your health as saturated fats do. The total amount of these fats you eat should compose no more than 10 percent of your daily caloric intake.

• Substitute monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat for saturated fat. But remember to keep your total fat intake to no more than 3o percent of your total daily calories.

• Limit foods high in cholesterol. These include egg yolks, baked goods made with eggs and saturated fats, liver, dark meat poultry, and whole-milk dairy products.

• Keep your total number of calories to a reasonable number. Base your calorie intake on your age, your weight, and your activity level. If necessary, ask your physician for help with this. Never go below 1,200 calories per day.

Here are some specific tips to help you comply with the guidelines:

• Figure the maximum number of fat grams you can eat per day. Multiply the number of calories you consume in a day by 0.30, then divide the total by 9. Then budget your fat intake over the course of a day. Alternatively, figure out the percentage of fat calories in a given food: Multiply the number of fat grams by 9, divide by the total number of calories, then multiply by 100.
  

• Use saturated-fat-laden meats mostly as condiments or for special occasions. These include beef, lamb, salami, sausage, and bacon. Replace them with skinless , white-meat chicken and turkey; lean cuts of meat; fish; or vegetable sources of protein in your daily diet.

• Replace high-fat dairy products with nonfat or low-fat versions. These days, a wide variety of tasty low-fat and fat-free yogurt, sour cream, whipped topping, cheese, and cream cheese is available.

• Limit your use of margarine and butter. Remember, although margarine is not as high in saturated fat as butter, it is hydrogenated. Hydrogenated fat contains trans fatty acids, which may be as bad or worse for you than saturated fats.

• When sauteing foods, use only a small amount of olive or canola oil. Make friends with a can of nonstick spray, and use nonstick cookware, if possible.

• Lower your consumption of all meats, and increase your consumptions of high-fiber foods. Good high-fiber choices include whole-grains, fruits, and vegetables. These foods fill your stomach without filling you up with fat and cholesterol. Also, high-fiber foods have a cholesterol-lowering effect.

• Learn the art of making an egg-white omelet. Accustom yourself to nonfat liquid egg substitutes. In recipes, use two egg whites for every whole egg called for.

The Macronutrients

Macronutrients come in three varieties: carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids (fats and oils). The body needs all three of these macronutrients to survive. To thrive, it needs them in the proper amounts. The following sections are a short course on macronutrients - what your body uses them for, where to find them, and how much you need of each.

CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates come in three varieties: simple, complex, and fibrous. All three types contain about four calories per gram. Here's a breakdown:

• Complex carbohydrates, or starches, are found in legumes (dried peas and beans), grains, vegetables, and fruits.


• Fiber is found in whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruit.


• Simple carbohydrates, or sugars, are found in table sugar, honey, natural fruit sugars, and molasses.

Carbohydrates are the body's principal source of energy. They fuel all bodily functions, including the digestion of other foods. While the other macronutrients can also be converted into energy, carbohydrates are the easiest fuel source for the body to process.
According to the USDA's Food Pyramid, more than half of our daily calories should come in the form of carbohydrates. Here's how to get the most nutritional bang for your buck:

• Consume the majority of your carbohydrate calories in the form of whole grains, beans, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables.


• Minimize your intake of foods made with white flour and white sugar, such as cake, cookies, and candy.


• Eat high-fiber carbohydrates, such as bran cereal, apples, dry beans (kidneys, pintos, and limas), peas, parsnips, and potatoes.

PROTEIN
Protein, like carbohydrate, contains four calories per gram. It performs two essential functions in the body: growth and maintenance of tissues and formation of infection-fighting antibodies. Protein is found in many foods, primarily those of animal origin. High-protein foods include:

• meat


• poultry


• fish and shellfish


• eggs


• dairy products


• grain products


• dry beans and peas

While its important to eat enough protein (especially during childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy), too much protein can put unnecessary stress on the kidneys. It may also contribute to obesity, heart disease, and possibly certain cancers when the sources of protein consumed are primarily high-fat meat and dairy products.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 gram per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of ideal body weight per day. Pregnant and breast-feeding women require and additional 30 and 20 grams, respectively.


LIPIDS
Lipids are a group of fatty substances that include fats, oils, and waxes. They help the body absorb and transport fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), act as a ready source of energy, insulate against heat loss, and act as a cushion for many tissues and organs.
The following types of lipids are found in food: triglycerides, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils, cholesterol, and linoleic acid.

Triglycerides: the primary form of fat found in foods. Fat is composed primarily of three types of fatty acids: saturated, polyunsaturated, or monounsaturated. The biggest distinction between saturated and unsaturated fats is that the saturated ones, such as butter or shortening, are solid at room temperature. Vegetable oil (polyunsaturated) is not. Saturated fats are implicated in raising the body's cholesterol level and in clogging the arteries.
Saturated fats are found in all animal products, as well as in coconut and palm oils. Polyunsaturated fats make up most of the fats in corn, safflower, sunflower, and soybean oils. Olive and canola oil contain mostly monounsaturated fat. In general, the less saturated fat an oil contains the more healthful it is.

THE EIGHT ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS Proteins are composed of 20 organic compounds called amino acids. The body require these amino acids to put dietary protein to work. While the body can synthesize half of these amino acids, it must get at least eight of the others from the diet. (The final two come partly from the body and partly from nutritional sources.) These eight are called the essential amino acids. Protein sources are considered "complete" if they contain all eight of the essential amino acids. They are "incomplete" if they lack one or more of the essential eight. All animal products are complete sources of protein, but plant sources usually lack a few amino acids. They can be combined to create proteins as complete as those found in meat and dairy products.

Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils: lipids processed to prolong shelf life. They are semi-solid at room temperature. Hydrogenating a fat or oil creates trans fatty acids, which research has found to be potentially more harmful than saturated fats.
Cholesterol: a white, crystalline substance found in all animal fats and oils.
Linoleic acid: the only "essential" polyunsaturated fatty acid. This means the body cannot synthesize this lipid and must obtain it through dietary sources.

It's well known that one step in losing excess body fat is reducing fat intake. One reason is fat contains a whopping nine calories per gram. (Remember, protein and carbohydrate have only four.) Also, the body needs to do minimal processing to store dietary fat as body fat; therefore, it processes and stores fat more readily than protein or carbohydrates. In addition to providing a hefty dose of calories, a high-fat diet is also associated with an increased risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Most nutrition experts believe that no more than 30 percent of the calories you consume in a day should come from fat.

How much is a serving?

Serving size depends on the food. Here's a quick primer. One serving equals:

• 1/2 cup cooked vegetables


• 1/2 cup raw vegetables or 1 cup raw leafy greens


• 1 piece of fruit (such as a medium-size apple, orange, or banana)


• 1/2 cup diced fruit, grapes, or berries


• 6 ounces of juice


• 1 slice of bread


• 1/2 cup cooked rice, cereal, grain, or pasta


• 1/2 bagel


• 1 ounce of dry cereal


• 1 cup of milk or yogurt


• 1 1/2 cup ounces of cheese


• 3 1/2 ounces of meat, fish, or chicken

According to the USDA, most people need at least the minimum number of servings of foods from each group daily. Body size and activity level may increase the number of servings needed by certain individuals. Young children, the agency states, need the same variety as adults but may eat smaller servings.

The new guidelines are a definite improvement over the old, but two primary problems remain.

First, although we are cautioned against excess intake of fats and sugars, the Food Pyramid still groups steak (a relatively high-fat, high-cholesterol, low-fiber source of protein) with beans (a relatively low-fat, cholesterol-free, high-fiber source of protein). There is also no defining factor of what qualifies a food in a food group. Are cookies, cakes, and pies grouped with bread since they contain mostly flour? French fries are vegetables so are they in the same group as spinach? In short, the guideline graphic doesn't indicate which foods in each food group are highest in nutritional value.

Second, the number of servings of certain foods may not be adequate for everyone. For example, pregnant women need higher amounts of calcium-rich dairy products and high-protein foods.

However, with a little extra knowledge, savvy consumers can use the guidelines as the basis for a diet that meets their nutritional needs, promotes good health, and may reduce the risk of disease. Here as some pointers to get the most out of the guidelines:

• Try to select foods that are minimally processed. Many foods lose nutrients during processing. For example, whole-wheat bread and pasta contain more essential nutrients than bread or pasta made with bleached white flour. Likewise, brown rice is better for you than white rice. The closer the food is to its original form, the more nutrients.


• Don't peel fruits and vegetables. When you can, leave the skin on. It contains many vitamins and minerals. Just be sure to wash the skins.


• Ideally, choose fresh or frozen foods. These contain the most nutrients.


• Try not to boil vegetables. Essential nutrients are boiled away into the cooking water. Instead, steam vegetables on the stove or in the microwave with only a few tablespoons of water. If you must boil vegetables, do so in the least amount of water for the shortest time possible to preserve their vitamin and mineral content.


• Don't overcook vegetables. Eat them raw or cook them only until they are tender-crisp.


• Choose the foods within each food group that are lowest in salt, fat, and sugar. Add only minimal amounts of these dietary nemeses when preparing food.


• Choose milk in cardboard containers. Or buy milk in colored plastic containers rather than translucent plastic containers when possible. Light breaks down some of the vitamins contained in the milk.

Dietary Guidelines: The Food Pyramid

Many factors are involved in answering the question "What should I eat?" But one thing is certain - the days of the basic four food groups are long gone. Here are just three of the many reasons for their disappearance.

First, they weren't specific enough.

Second, no distinction was made in the value of nutrients. In other words, all the food groups were considered equally important. An apple was encouraged with the same emphasis as a steak.

Third, the recommendations did not specify preferences within each food group; for example, ice cream appeared to be as helpful as a glass of skim milk.

Enter the Dietary Guidelines for Americans created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the corresponding Food Pyramid. The new recommendations were designed to answer some of the criticisms of the old basic four food groups.

The following are the official U.S. Dietary Guidelines:

• Eat a variety of foods


• Maintain a healthy weight.


• Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol


• Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grains.


• Use sugars only in moderation.


• Use salt and sodium only in moderation.


• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

The guidelines are accompanied by the Food Pyramid, which graphically illustrates the emphasis each food group should have in our diets. There are now six food groups instead of four. Fats and sugars occupy the smallest space of the Pyramid, since they should be eaten less frequently than other foods.