I am so upset seeing all the packed foods specially Plant sourced foods labelled as
No Cholesterol / Zero Cholesterol / Cholesterol Free!!
Hope not to hear a coconut seller claiming coconut water its Cholesterol free here !!
It's high time that we need to understand what cholesterol is and its sources! It's surprising to see so many educated folks also making food choices based on this label.
Lets understand few basic things which will help you make better food choices when u shop for food next time onwards !
1. What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a Fat (steroid lipid) found in the blood of all animals and is necessary for proper functioning of our cell membranes and production of hormones.
2. How is it formed in the body ?
Cholesterol is formed in our body and there is no additional requirement of cholesterol . It is produced by the body as per the requirement and recycled in the body.
For a man of about 68 kg (150 pounds), typical total body-cholesterol synthesis is approximately 1 g (1,000 mg) per day, and total body content is approximately 35 g, primarily located within the membranes of all the cells of the body.
While surprisingly there is an additional 200 to 300 mg on an average cholesterol consumed from various animal sources by an adult.
3. What are the sources of Cholesterol?
CHOLESTEROL IS FOUND ONLY IN ANIMAL SOURCES :
Meat, Poultry, Pork, Fishes, Dairy Products and associated animal products (ready to use)
PLANT SOURCES DO NOT HAVE CHOLESTEROL !
Some plants make cholesterol in very small amounts. Plants manufacture phytosterols (substances chemically similar to cholesterol produced within plants), which can compete with cholesterol for reabsorption in the intestinal tract, thus potentially reducing cholesterol reabsorption. When intestinal lining cells absorb phytosterols, in place of cholesterol, they usually excrete the phytosterol molecules back into the GI tract, an important protective mechanism
4. What happens in case of excess cholesterol in the body and less of cholesterol in the body ?
High levels of cholesterol in the body is termed as Hypercholesterolemia. Leading to a direct impact on the heart. Excess cholesterol starts depositing in the arteries leading to atherosclerosis and blockages leading to coronary heart diseases and other cardiovascular diseases and many times cause of heart attacks.
Human body does not need any excess amount of cholesterol and its rare to find a condition with deficiency of cholesterol since it is recycled in the body.
5. How to reduce high levels of cholesterol in the body?
1. Reduce consumption of Animal foods
2. Vegan diets ( NO DIARY /NO FISH/NO POULTRY) have shown great effect in reducing high levels of cholesterol in the body
3. Increase consumption of fibre rich foods, like complex whole grains, raw salads, whole fruits and lentils.
4. Stop snacking from air-filled/vacuum packed and boxed processed foods , biscuits, bread and burgers as all these are high on Trans fatty acids leading to high production of cholesterol in the body.
5. Keep your self active physically, relax and enjoy your work outs or exercise everyday and not being forced to do so, which will reduce stress that adds to increased cholesterol production in the body.
Moral of the post :
Tomorrow some one forcing you to eat a cholesterol free ice cream please say no, there can never be a zero cholesterol ice cream.
Let be cholesterol in your Ice Cream eat once in a while if you cannot give a miss but don't build stress because of cholesterol in it since already your body is building it day in and out :)
Don't feel happy buying foods like corn, wheat, maize, nuts, lentils and rice or oils for that matter with zero cholesterol labels . Marketers are fooling us, keep in mind unprocessed original whole grains , oils and all fruits and vegetables are free of cholesterol by nature. No one is making an extra effort for our health, its we who need to understand , learn and unlearn the food labelling gimmicks
Imagine if all types of plant and animal sources of foods were with cholesterol in them more than half of worlds population would land up buying statins (cholesterol reducing drug) to keep blood cholesterol under control.
Nature has its own delicate ways of letting us know what to eat and how much to eat and any imbalance that you make in the body it triggers few in no time (sudden /Acute) while some gradually(chronic )!
Choose foods that will nourish you from inside !
