"Cholesterol - Enemy or Friend?"
Cholesterol. Who is he? Enemy or Friend?According to experts, about 60% of adults in developed countries suffer high cholesterol in the blood.
How dangerous is this, and how to keep it normal?
The answers to these questions are in the material of the general practitioner Valentina Grigorievna KUCHUBERIA.
Cholesterol is blamed for many sins. For example, that it causes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on inner surface blood vessels, which, in turn, leads to atherosclerosis and its consequences - heart attacks, strokes, brain diseases, etc.
This is how the killer plaque grows, unnoticed!
In addition, to prevent atherosclerosis, it is important not only to monitor cholesterol levels, but also to pay attention to many other factors: heredity, infectious diseases, state of the nervous system.
And with cholesterol itself, everything is not so simple. Scientists have found that there are
“Good” - or lipoprotein high density HDL (HDL, “Healthy”)
- it must be kept normal, and
“bad” LDL (low-density lipoprotein, LDL, “Lousy”)
needs to be lowered. It is the latter that can contribute to the formation of “plaque” on the walls of arteries and vessels.
But “good” cholesterol has the exact opposite effect.
But “bad” cholesterol, of course, in small quantities, is also necessary for our body.
Thus, studies in Denmark and Germany have shown that a component of blood plasma that can not only bind, but also neutralize dangerous bacterial toxins, are low-density lipoproteins, that is, carriers of “bad” cholesterol.
In other words,
In general, cholesterol in our body provides stability cell membranes over a wide temperature range.
It is necessary for the production of vitamin D, as well as various hormones, including cortisol, cortisone, aldosterone, estrogen and progesterone, testosterone.
In addition, according to the latest data, he plays important role in the activity of brain synapses and immune system, including protection against cancer.
Total cholesterol in the blood should be less than 5 mmol/l;
. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol - less than 3 mmol/l;
. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol - more than 1.5 mmol/l;
. Triglycerides - less than 2.0 mmol/l.
So, you know your blood cholesterol level and now you must decide whether you need to change something in your life or not.
If you have 240-250 mg/dL (or 6 mmol/L), it's worth considering whether you're eating right. Especially if you have other risk factors cardiovascular diseases. Emergency measures however, there is no need to do so.
280-300 mg/dl (7-7.5 mmol/l) is the threshold when it is necessary to take decisive action. But under no circumstances should you reach for medications - after all, in principle, you are still quite healthy. To stay that way, it is vital to change your lifestyle: move more, eat less and watch what you eat. You need to monitor your results monthly for the first 2-4 months to assess the effectiveness of your diet.
*No sandwiches. Try to dramatically reduce your consumption butter, ideally go plant-based. This one step can often bring your cholesterol levels to an acceptable level of 240 mg/dL in just 2-4 weeks.
* Soy instead of cheese. It would also be good to give up cream, sour cream, fatty cheeses and eggs, and at the same time quit smoking. Switching to soy products is very beneficial. This protein diet, which and with overweight helps fight and replaces cholesterol-containing concentrated dairy products.
*For amateurs lard We must remember that it is very rich in cholesterol. Its consumption must be compensated: do not drink a large number alcohol and, paradoxically, gorge on vegetable oil and oily fish. It is good to eat lard with garlic: it helps to utilize fats faster.
* Maintain a balance of fats - saturated (animal), monounsaturated and polyunsaturated - there should be a third of them in the diet. In other words, every “eaten piece” of animal fat must be compensated with vegetable fats. You can do this: mix olive, sunflower (or corn) and soybean oils in equal parts and add this balanced mixture to salads, cereals and pasta. Walnuts, contrary to popular belief, do not help lower cholesterol. Coffee and strong tea are also harmful.
* If there is little HDL (high-density lipoproteins that carry cholesterol) in the blood, the problem can be solved by moderate alcohol consumption (a glass of wine, a glass of beer, a glass of vodka per day).
If you have more than 300-320 mg/dL (8-10 mmol/L) cholesterol, it is better not to try to cope with the problem on your own. A doctor must understand the reasons for such a serious violation.
If dietary cholesterol is to blame, the only thing that will help is diet. But there are other, more serious violations. For example, genetic: the gene responsible for lipid metabolism has broken down. But such defects, as a rule, make themselves felt in childhood and are very rare.
In vegetable oils and fatty varieties of sea fish, such as tuna or mackerel. Therefore, you need to eat fish at least 2 times a week.
In nuts. Healthy: hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios and pine nuts
In olives and any soy products
. To keep cholesterol “normal”, you need to regularly eat foods containing “good” cholesterol, as well as fiber.
Don't forget about apples
Very useful for high cholesterol green tea it kills two birds with one stone - it helps increase the level of “good” cholesterol in the blood and reduces the levels of “bad” cholesterol.
Research shows that products with high content flavonoids help lower cholesterol levels by helping prevent the formation of blood clots and blood clots. Flavonoids, also known as bioflavonoids, are nutrients. Foods high in flavonoids: dark fruits and berries
A protective effect against “bad” cholesterol can be obtained by introducing lecithin and garlic into the diet.
First on the list harmful factors that increase cholesterol - fatty foods.
It is also necessary to avoid foods containing trans fats. These are the most dangerous species"bad" cholesterol. Trans fats are often hidden in baked goods, fried foods and fast food. Infatuation with eating fast food leads to the fact that cholesterol deposits on the walls of blood vessels are already found in teenagers.
Drinking alcoholic beverages also has a very detrimental effect on fat metabolism. Among pathological drunkards there are much more people with high cholesterol in the blood than among abstainers. A slight relaxation is allowed in favor of natural dry red wine, which, according to experts, on the contrary, helps remove cholesterol from the body.
According to statistics, smokers also have higher cholesterol levels than non-smokers.
The daily intake of cholesterol should not exceed 300-500 mg.
Those who already know first-hand about heart disease and diabetes mellitus, should limit their cholesterol intake to 100 mg per day.
These tips will help you stay healthy and fit!
The issue of the benefits and harms of meat is quite acute, since if you make the wrong choice, you can develop vascular atherosclerosis. Of course, you can become the owner of this disease without excessive consumption of this product, but you still need to know which meat has more cholesterol.
Because of this substance, doctors consider the meat of some animals to be harmful and even dangerous. However, it is necessary to include meat in the diet, because it contains vitamins, micro- and macroelements, amino acids, and easily digestible proteins. To prevent a person from suffering from excess cholesterol, it is worth learning the secrets of choosing this product.
Why can meat harm the body?
Chemical composition of meat different varieties has been calculated for a long time, but few people know which meat has the most cholesterol. Doctors are convinced that one of the most harmful varieties is pork, because it contains a large amount of saturated fatty acids.
Education cholesterol plaques
Excessive consumption any type of meat can negatively affect human health. A diet based only on protein foods results in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. To improve your condition, you need to eat a balanced diet, including vegetables and fruits. There should be at least 400 g of them in the diet per day.
If you do not adhere to this rule, then a predominantly meat menu can:
- slow down metabolism;
- reduce immunity;
- lead to excess weight gain;
- narrow the lumen of blood vessels;
- provoke surges in blood pressure;
- lead to diseases of the heart, stomach, intestines, kidneys, liver;
- ensure the development of atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is one of the most dangerous diseases that goes unnoticed. High risk becoming a victim increases in people with bad habits And poor nutrition. Increases “bad” cholesterol and sedentary lifestyle life. When all this is supported by eating a large amount fatty meat, then the likelihood of a stroke or heart attack increases sharply.
Important! IN muscle tissue Animals contain up to 40-50% saturated fat, 15-20% protein and 50-70% water. It all depends on the type of meat and part of the carcass. It is the high content of saturated fats that affects the level of cholesterol in the blood.
Useful varieties
Which meat contains the least cholesterol? To answer this question, it’s worth remembering. what varieties of this product are most often recommended by nutritionists to consume. White meat of chicken, chicken, rabbit, nutria, and turkey was found in the diet. It is these varieties that contain the minimum amount of cholesterol.
Diet meat Here are a few features of choosing these types of meat:
- Cholesterol in chicken is found in large quantities in its skin, so most often doctors recommend consuming only the sirloin part. You should not give preference to thighs, legs, wings.
- If the dish is prepared from parts of a carcass with skin, then before cooking it is better to remove it along with the subcutaneous fat.
- Heat treatment should take place without frying. Meat can be baked, boiled, stewed.
- Rabbit meat is a completely dietary meat that can be consumed by everyone. It is even included in the children's menu. You can take any parts from a rabbit carcass. Just keep in mind that it is better to give children those parts that have less connective tissue.
- Turkey should also be eaten without the skin. It is pre-removed before the stage heat treatment.
Important! In terms of phosphorus content, turkey muscle tissue exceeds fish, so it should be added to the diet of children from an early age.
- Wild boar meat is often considered dietary because it contains less fat. It is richer in microelements and unsaturated fatty acids, so it more actively fights bad cholesterol.
- Horse meat is considered healthy because it helps remove “bad” cholesterol from the body, but due to its toughness, this meat is often processed into sausages.
It is worth noting that poultry by-products contain more cholesterol than muscle tissue. A particularly high percentage is found in chicken liver. It is quite fatty, so it is better to exclude this product from the diet. Especially great harm applied to the body by frying the liver in vegetable oil.
How much cholesterol is in chicken liver? Per 100 g of product there are from 100 to 280 mg of cholesterol.
High Cholesterol Varieties
A complete list of different types of meat and organ meats that contain a high percentage of cholesterol includes:
- pork;
- beef;
- lamb;
- lamb;
- duck and goose meat;
- beef tongue;
- chicken liver.
To objectively see the harm of these types of meat, it is worth comparing the cholesterol content in meat. A table is the best assistant in this matter.
Comparison table We must not forget that sausages contain even more harmful low-density lipids. It's all due to the heat treatment process. The product becomes even more harmful if it has been smoked, fried in butter or vegetable oil.
Important! Smoked meat product is dangerous food, which leads to the appearance of free radicals in the body. These are substances that provoke the development of tumors.
Each type of meat has its own characteristics:
- Pork. Quantity bad cholesterol in this type of meat depends on the age of the animal and its fatness. A young pig has the same properties as chicken or turkey, as it has little fat. If the pig has been fed diligently, then it has a lot of fatty tissue. Do not consume areas of pork carcass with high content fat This includes the neck, goulash, hip part.
Advice! If you prepare broth from this meat, then it is better to drain it after the first cooking.
- Beef. Tables with meat products containing high quantity cholesterol levels are led by either pork or beef. Animal fat of these varieties is saturated with low-density lipids. It is better to eat pieces from the beef carcass from the back or thigh. It is recommended to avoid the sirloin, as it contains a lot of fatty tissue.
Product range - Mutton and lamb. Lamb fat is difficult to digest and has a specific taste and smell. It is best not to be consumed by people with high blood cholesterol. It is recommended to use those areas where the amount of fat is minimal.
- Domestic duck and goose are fatty varieties. Even removing the skin from the carcass will not save their lovers.
- Beef tongue and chicken liver. These products contain a lot of cholesterol, so it is better to consume them rarely. Simply boiling these offal products will help reduce cholesterol by half.
Food is the fuel that gives us energy. Just a small mistake in the diet can trigger destructive processes in the body, so it’s worth knowing why cholesterol in meat is dangerous. A table with comparative indicators of this substance makes it possible to choose those types of meat that will really only bring benefits.
More:
Excess fat and cholesterol in food: how can it be avoided?
A product such as chicken liver has many beneficial properties. But many argue that this is a source of cholesterol, is this true and which of the disputants is right?
Chicken liver- a source of cholesterol or a product that can be consumed without danger? A nutritionist should answer this question, but even without the help of a doctor it is not difficult to understand the problem. Many argue that the harm of offal lies in the fact that chickens are “pumped” with hormones and anabolic steroids. Is this true? Let's figure it out.
How much cholesterol is in chicken?
- White meat: 78.8
- Dark meat: 89.2
- Heart: 170
- Broiler chicken: 40–60
- Liver: 490
Cholesterol levels depend not only on the product itself, but also on the cooking method. Chicken liver has quite high cholesterol levels. But don’t rush to conclusions; refusing this product can lead to a lack of vitamins and microelements.
What is the benefit of the offal:
- Rich in vitamin C and B vitamins.
- Microelements and other substances.
- Improves the functioning of the nervous system.
- Helps saturate the body with calcium and phosphorus.
- Has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair.
It’s worth starting with the fact that the product is easily digestible, rich in B vitamins, and accordingly strengthens nervous system person. Vitamin C stimulates the immune system and helps prevent stressful situations and excessive nervousness.
The liver contains a large number of useful microelements. Including phosphorus and calcium. The product is recommended to be included in the diet for those people whose work involves heavy physical activity.
Important: It is enough to consume liver once a week to get rid of insomnia and excessive nervousness. The product is absolutely safe and can be eaten even by children.
Since liver contains a large amount of vitamin A and E, it is recommended for women who carefully monitor their appearance. The product strengthens hair and promotes skin cell regeneration.
Many nutritionists advise women to eat chicken liver childbearing age, because it contains a lot of iron.
Undoubtedly, there is cholesterol in the liver, but you should not focus on just one component. It is recommended to pay attention to the beneficial properties of chicken liver dishes.
Who should include it in their diet?
If the level of cholesterol in the blood is low enough or is in a stable state, then the liver can be safely treated without special attention on the cooking method. But if cholesterol is unstable or its levels are high, you must follow the diet prescribed by your doctor and avoid chicken liver altogether or cook it only by steaming it.
The product in any form can be present in the diet:
- children over 6 months;
- women reproductive age and the period of menopause;
- people whose work involves heavy physical activity.
This product should be present in children's diets mandatory, along with fish and meat. Since the liver is rich in phosphorus and calcium, it stimulates brain activity child and contributes to his intellectual development.
If a person’s work is associated with heavy loads, then the body constantly experiences a deficiency of vitamins and beneficial microelements. Chicken liver will help fill the deficiency.
Attention! If the liver is cooked correctly, then no health problems will arise. But if you constantly fry it in a frying pan with a lot of oil, your cholesterol level may increase.
The product should be used with caution by those people whose health is of concern. Especially if we're talking about about diseases of the cardiovascular system.
What's the harm?
When consuming any offal, you should keep in mind that they can cause harm to the body. And some people should stop using them altogether. Chicken liver is easily digested and absorbed. But despite this, it is not recommended to use it if you have the following diseases:
- Problems with hematopoiesis.
- High level of hemoglobin in the blood.
- Vascular atherosclerosis at any stage.
- Heart diseases.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
The liver contains a lot of iron, for this reason it should not be eaten when high level hemoglobin in the blood, but it is possible in order to restore iron deficiency in anemia.
Atherosclerosis and heart disease are considered a direct contraindication to eating offal, this includes not only chicken liver, but also pork.
It is also not recommended to eat the product if you have liver and kidney diseases. Especially during periods of exacerbation. It is worth limiting the consumption of offal in the presence of pyelonephritis in chronic or acute form currents.
In addition, this product can negatively affect the functioning of the digestive system. To avoid problems, you need to check with your doctor about the possible diet and agree on the use of certain by-products.
Important: But pregnant women can and should eat liver, but you should carefully monitor the degree of frying of the product.
About the harm to the liver
Many people, speaking about the dangers of products, argue that chickens are often “pumped” with hormones so that they grow quickly and gain weight. But don't panic. Hormones, like anabolic steroids, are quite expensive today. Using them as bird food is an expensive proposition.
It is not chemical experiments that you should be afraid of, but bacteria that may be in chicken meat. For example, the bacterium salmonella can cause a disease called salmonellosis.
If the human body encounters a bacterium for the first time, it may react to it in a special way, resulting in signs of poisoning. Severe intoxication is rare. Patients mainly complain of abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea. When using absorbent drugs, symptoms quickly disappear.
If the body encounters the bacterium again, signs of severe intoxication may occur. Salmonellosis – dangerous disease, which leads to muscle paralysis and can cause death.
Attention! Usually, offal products, like chicken, are tested for the presence of salmonella, but if a low-quality product is found, health problems may arise.
Toxoplasmosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women, as it can lead to fetal death. This does not mean that you need to stop eating offal, you just need to cook it correctly and carefully select the liver.
Culinary experts advise carefully inspecting the liver and chicken before purchasing and discarding the product if the quality is in doubt. And before stewing or frying the offal, you need to rinse it under a stream of water.
Not only water kills bacteria, but also cold, for this reason you can freeze your liver - this will help protect yourself from possible risks.
For atherosclerosis
High cholesterol levels in the blood impose certain restrictions on the patient's diet. As a rule, it does not include by-products; restrictions also apply to products of animal origin, including meat and chicken.
If the doctor recommends a diet and avoidance of certain foods, then it must be followed without fail. Despite the fact that in our body cholesterol is synthesized by liver cells, a person receives some of this hormone from food.
Given this fact, it is worth carefully monitoring what is included in the patient’s diet. If cholesterol levels are constantly rising, then eating liver is strictly not recommended.
Attention! If the indicators are elevated, but within the normal range, then you should steam the liver and simmer it without adding butter or sour cream.
Instructions
Cholesterol is a lipophilic alcohol found in animal food and in rare cases plant origin. High-density cholesterol is considered beneficial as it is used by the body to build new cells and maintain structure bone tissue, for the production of hormones, etc. Low-density cholesterol, on the contrary, is considered harmful to health, since it is the main component of cholesterol plaques that form on the walls of blood vessels. The content in products is heterogeneous; some products contain very little of this element, while others break all records in terms of the content of this substance.
Margarine is a real champion when it comes to the content of bad cholesterol. This product belongs to the category of trans fats obtained by hydronization vegetable fats. In different types of margarine, the content of bad cholesterol can range from 600 to 1000 mg per 100 g of product. People suffering from atherosclerosis are often recommended to completely exclude this product from the diet in order to alleviate the course of the disease.
Meat and sausage products can be placed in second place in the ranking of the most cholesterol-containing products. The content of bad cholesterol in different meat products is heterogeneous. For example, sausages rarely contain more than 50 mg of cholesterol. at the same time smoked sausages with lard this figure can exceed 600 mg per 100 g of product. A lot of cholesterol is found in the brain, where the level can exceed 1200 mg.
Chicken and beef contain approximately the same level of cholesterol, hovering around 500 mg. So high rate and all products made from liver. For example, liver pates may contain more than 600 mg of cholesterol per 100 g of product. In this case, everything depends on the other components that were used during the preparation of the pate, because there are often cases when margarine is added to it during the production of the final product.
Large quantity cholesterol is found in eggs. The content of this substance is approximately 600 mg per 100 g of product. IN chicken eggs The cholesterol content is slightly lower - 550 mg. It is worth noting that the cholesterol contained in eggs is not a reason to refuse this product, since eggs contain a lot useful elements, including leptin.
Seafood is high in cholesterol smoked mackerel, in which the level of this substance exceeds 350 mg. In addition, a significant level of cholesterol is present in the meat of stellate sturgeon - 300 mg, cuttlefish - 270 mg and carp - 250 mg. Among fish products, the real record holder is different types caviar, in which the cholesterol content may exceed 500 mg per 100 g of product.
When, after blood tests, an increased cholesterol content is revealed, the question arises of changing nutrition and switching to a new diet. After all, cholesterol poses a potential danger: its excess leads to the formation of blood clots and atherosclerotic plaques on blood vessels.
Before you lower your cholesterol medications, try changing your lifestyle and diet. These measures are quite enough to bring blood counts back to normal.
You can find out what the cholesterol content is in food in the table below. We will also answer the question: “Are all foods high in lipoproteins unhealthy?”
Once again about cholesterol
Elevated blood cholesterol levels in and of themselves do not mean anything. Let us recall that the word “cholesterol” hides two types of it, which are commonly called “bad” and “good”:
- Bad cholesterol is low-density lipoprotein (LDL). It is he who clogs the vessels, makes thick blood and threatens the formation of blood clots;
- Good cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein (HDL). On the contrary, it is able to cleanse blood vessels of LDL.
When eaten the right products and combinations of products can be “transformed” bad cholesterol in good. It is important to remember the rate of cholesterol intake from food - no more than 400 mg per day. It is quite easy to calculate it if you know foods that contain large amounts of cholesterol.
A table with values is given below, but in general terms the picture looks like this: the largest presence of this component is in fatty dairy products, meat by-products, some types of meat (for example, pork), and butter.
The record holder for the amount of cholesterol is brains.
What foods contain cholesterol, and where does excess cholesterol come from?
It is partially produced by our body (about 80% of the intake), and comes from food (about 20%). Therefore, even if we completely refuse products containing it, nothing bad will happen to us.
As a rule, if a person’s diet is dominated by fatty foods animal origin, this can lead to increased LDL levels in the blood. This is also caused by the abuse of fast food, refined foods and sugar.
Which foods are particularly high in cholesterol?
Most cholesterol enters our body with meat products, cheeses and animal fat. But you shouldn’t give up all of this at once.
| Product name | Cholesterol content (mg/100 g) |
| Brain | From 800 to 2300 |
| Kidneys | From 300 to 800 |
| Egg | From 570 to 600 |
| Chicken liver | 490 |
| Pork | From 110 to 380 |
| Beef liver | From 250 to 400 |
| 350 | |
| 300 | |
| Carp | 280 |
| Ghee butter | |
| Butter | 240 |
| Liver sausage | 170 |
| Chicken heart | |
| Oysters | |
| Acne | From 160 to 190 |
| Liver pate | 150 |
| Beef tongue | |
| 145 | |
| Pork liver | 130 |
| Sardine in oil | From 120 to 140 |
| Gouda cheese | 115 |
| Raw smoked sausage | 112 |
| Cream 30% | 110 |
| Beef fat | |
| Pollock | |
| Pork, lamb, goose fat | 100 |
| Chester cheese | |
| Sausages, white Munich sausages | |
| Mutton | |
| Sour cream 30% | From 90 to 100 |
| Veal | |
| Herring | 95 |
| Emmental cheese | 95 |
| Camembert cheese | From 38 to 95 |
| Rabbit meat | 90 |
| Chicken, dark meat without skin | |
| Pork lard | |
| Goose | 85 |
| Salami, cervelat, Vienna sausages | |
| Cream and sour cream 20% | 80 |
| Chicken, white meat without skin | |
| Processed cheese | From 25 to 80 |
| Beef | From 65 to 90 |
| Duck | |
| Boiled sausage | From 40 to 60 |
| Turkey | |
| Cheese Tilsiter | From 35 to 60 |
| Russian cheese | 65 |
| Mussels | |
| Edam cheese | 60 |
| Kostromskaya cheese, sausage cheese | 57 |
| Tuna, trout, shellfish | 55 |
| Sole sole, pike | 50 |
| Cancers | 45 |
| Horse mackerel | 40 |
| Homemade cottage cheese | |
| Cream 10% | 35 |
| Sour cream 10% | |
| Cod | 30 |
| Goat milk | |
| Cottage cheese 9% | 17 |
| Sheep cheese | 12 |
| Milk | From 3 to 15 depending on fat content |
| Yogurt | From 1 to 8 depending on fat content |
| Kefir | From 3 to 10 depending on fat content |
It turns out that just knowing which foods are high in cholesterol is not enough. The method of cooking also matters. Meat and fish, for example, should not be fried, but stewed, boiled or steamed. Then even pork will become less harmful.
Remember: in products plant origin, no matter how fatty they are, LDL cannot be in principle. Some manufacturers take advantage of the fact that people do not know where cholesterol is found and write on the labels: “Our sunflower oil is cholesterol-free.” But in sunflower oil it never existed and cannot exist.
On the other hand, consuming certain plant foods can stimulate the body to overproduce its own cholesterol. These products include margarine, baked goods industrial production, fried foods.
That is, if you give up meat, butter, and fatty dairy products, but eat French fries, hamburgers and sweets, your blood cholesterol will not decrease.
But among animal products there are those that help bind and remove LDL from the body. Let's take a closer look at whether foods containing cholesterol are really harmful.
Milk and milk products
Animal fat is the main source of cholesterol and an integral component of milk. The most full fat milk- goat. But despite this, it is not prohibited for use by people with high blood cholesterol. 
Phospholipids in its composition prevent harmful lipoproteins from attaching to the walls of blood vessels.
Regarding products from cow's milk, of which there are quite a lot on store shelves, you should choose from them those that contain reduced quantity fat
For example, buy not 25% sour cream, but 10% (it is already considered dietary).
Its composition is dominated by protein (about 30%) and fat (about 18%), carbohydrates are only 4%. Full table The cholesterol content in food states that LDL in caviar is 300 mg per 100 grams, which is a lot. But on the other hand, red caviar is a natural source useful acids Omega-3 and Omega-6, which neutralize the effect of bad cholesterol.
In addition to the acids in caviar salmon fish contains a lot of nutrients and useful substances and vitamins. They activate the brain.
Still, you shouldn’t overuse caviar. One tablespoon per day is enough.
And most importantly: you absolutely cannot eat caviar as part of your usual sandwiches with butter! It interferes with the absorption of acids and completely neutralizes the beneficial effect of caviar on the body.
Meat
Lamb is perhaps the healthiest meat in terms of the content of nutrients in it. But it also contains more than enough cholesterol: about 100 mg per 100 grams. If you absolutely cannot do without lamb, choose the part of the carcass that will cause less harm; discard the ribs and brisket.
Pork and beef have less cholesterol. The most low content lipoproteins in veal.
Fish and seafood
As can be seen from the table, some types of both sea and river fish are among the products with increased content cholesterol: mackerel, carp, oysters, eel, shrimp, pollock, herring, mussels, tuna, trout, clams, sole, pike, crayfish, mackerel and even dietary cod.
In fact, all seafood brings us more benefit than harm, since they contain valuable Omega-3 and Omega-6 acids, which neutralize low-density lipoproteins, and in addition they contain valuable iodine. Therefore, it is necessary and even mandatory to include fish and seafood in your diet.
Cholesterol content in foods according to their degree of danger and usefulness for humans
| What foods are best to avoid if you want to lower cholesterol? | By-products, pork, beef, veal, dark chicken meat, chicken by-products, duck, goose, smoked and boiled sausage, sausages and sausages, heavy cream (30%), cottage cheese, milk (above 3%), most hard and soft cheeses, processed and sausage cheeses, beef, goose fat, butter. |
| Consumption of these products is relatively safe | Venison, horse meat, roe deer meat, rabbit meat, white skinless chicken meat, chicken, turkey, chicken and quail eggs, goat milk, cream 20% and 10%, milk with fat content below 2.5%, full fat kefir, fat and low fat yogurt, cottage cheese 20%, Limburg and Romadur cheeses (20%), pork and lamb fat. |
| Completely harmless foods from the point of view of LDL saturation | Lean lamb and summer lamb, sea and river fish and seafood, kefir 1%, low-fat cottage cheese, whey, sheep cheese 20%, homemade cheeses not exceeding 4% fat content. |
Please note that only animal products are included here. IN plant products there can be no cholesterol.
To do this faster and more efficiently, you need not only to reconsider your diet, but also to give up smoking, increase motor activity during the day. Diet also plays a big role.
First, you need to reduce the amount of foods that are rich in cholesterol in your diet: fatty meat, eggs, sausage, fatty dairy products, etc.
Secondly, introduce foods into your diet that bind LDL and help remove it from the body:
- Root vegetables (except potatoes, since they contain a lot of starch): carrots, beets, green and black radishes and others. Two whole raw carrots a day can help lower bad cholesterol by 15% over two months of constant consumption;
- Tomatoes. Drinking two glasses a day tomato juice, you can lower your cholesterol levels by 10%. Take tomato juice in courses, daily for two months, twice a year. Drink a glass of juice half an hour before meals so that in total you take at least half a liter per day. If you have a stomach ulcer, cholecystitis, gastritis, it is better to refrain from taking tomato juice on an empty stomach;
- Garlic. When used daily, it perfectly cleanses blood vessels even from existing cholesterol plaques;
- Seeds and nuts. About 50-60 grams of nuts daily helps reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol;
- Legumes (peas, lentils, beans). Approximately 300 grams of legumes eaten daily reduces bad cholesterol by almost 20% in less than a month;
- Fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, and dried fruits. The fiber in which they are rich binds LDL and removes it from the body, preventing it from being absorbed into the blood;
- Unrefined vegetable oils. The content of unsaturated fatty acids in them is very high. They literally dissolve cholesterol and significantly reduce its amount in the blood;
- Whole grain cereals. Rich in fiber, which helps eliminate lipoproteins.
Cholesterol-lowering drinks
Dry red wine. Alcohol itself is harmful to the body, especially if you do not know how to consume it. But the benefits of dry red wine in reasonable quantities have been proven.
Grape seeds and peels contain bioflavonoids and chromium, which improve blood composition and have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular system, even help slow down aging. For health reasons, drink only dry wine and no more than 100 grams per day, for example, at dinner.
Green tea. Enzymes, amino acids and mineral salts, which are part of it, strengthen the immune system and have a powerful antioxidant effect. Regular consumption of good green tea lowers cholesterol.
Drink no more than 2-3 cups of green tea without sugar or milk every day. Best time for this purpose - the first half of the day, as it tones. Buy quality loose leaf tea, not tea bags. Pour boiling water over the kettle before brewing.
Cocoa. It contains the antioxidant flavanol. With regular use, it lowers LDL in the blood. But you need to be careful not to consume too much cocoa. One cup a day in the morning on an empty stomach will be enough. For those with increased secretion gastric juice, you shouldn't drink cocoa at all.
New look at cholesterol
Several years ago, a new opinion emerged regarding the harm that foods high in cholesterol cause to our bodies. According to this hypothesis, cholesterol obtained from food is not as harmful as that which is synthesized by our body when we eat fast food, sweets and other useless refined foods.
Therefore, if you are used to eating scrambled eggs for breakfast, feel free to eat them, but be sure to eat them with vegetables and herbs. Do you want pork? No problem, but always with a side dish of vegetables or whole grain cereals with unrefined vegetable oil.
In order to organize proper nutrition In order to normalize the amount of cholesterol in the blood, remember: there is not enough information about what cholesterol contains.
You still need to know about beneficial properties certain products, their compatibility with other foods, how to properly prepare food. Then your diet will become balanced, correct, varied and healthy.
