Fatty Foods and High Cholesterol, What is the Relationship?
Who doesn’t like fatty foods? Fatty foods usually have a delicious taste, so it’s no wonder that many people like them. However, behind that deliciousness you have to be careful, because these foods can increase blood cholesterol. However, fatty foods and cholesterol are not always mortal enemies. There are types of fat that can make cholesterol go up, but there are also fats that are actually good for cholesterol.
So, what kind of fatty foods can cause cholesterol to increase? Check out the explanation below.
The type of fat that can increase bad cholesterol
You need to know, the types of fat contained in different foods. There are good fats and bad fats. So, actually not all fatty foods are bad for the body. This type of good fat is actually needed for the body to help carry out its normal functions.
Fatty foods can affect the balance of cholesterol levels in the body because fatty acids bind to liver cells and regulate cholesterol production.
Types of fat that can increase bad cholesterol in the body are saturated fat and trans fat. This is the link between fatty foods and bad cholesterol (LDL).
- Saturated fat found in meat and processed meat products, as well as dairy products. Intake saturated fat excess can trigger the liver to produce more bad cholesterol in the body.
- Trans fat can be found in solid oil products, so this trans fat is mostly contained in fried products. For example junk food, fried, and packaged foods. This type of fat is very unhealthy, because in addition to causing an increase in bad cholesterol, trans fat can also lower good cholesterol levels in the body.
Fatty foods and cholesterol, are they always enemies?
Often times, you may think that all fatty foods have cholesterol. But, fat and cholesterol are two different things. In the body, fatty foods can indeed affect body cholesterol levels. But in food, not all fatty foods also contain cholesterol.
Cholesterol contained in food does not really endanger cholesterol levels in the body. This is because cholesterol levels in food generally have a small impact on increasing bad cholesterol in the body. In fact, foods that contain saturated fat and trans fat can greatly affect cholesterol levels in the body.
For that, you may not need to completely avoid foods that contain cholesterol, such as eggs, shrimp, and offal (liver, lungs, and kidneys). You can eat up to six eggs a week as part of your balanced diet. Without worry can increase the risk coronary heart disease.
However, what you need to pay attention to is how to cook it. If eggs or shrimp are cooked by frying, this will add the trans fat content in it. So, this actually makes eggs and shrimp less healthy to eat in large quantities.
Fatty foods and cholesterol can actually support each other
Not all fatty foods should be avoided. This type of healthy fat is actually needed by the body to help carry out its functions. Types of healthy fats are unsaturated fats, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
This type of fat is said to be good because it can help improve the work of the liver in reabsorbing and damaging bad cholesterol in the body, as quoted from Medical News Today. That way, consuming unsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the body and increase good cholesterol levels.
You can find unsaturated fats in fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel. Apart from that, it can also be found in nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, and others. Olive oil, canola oil, and other vegetable oils also contain unsaturated fats which can protect your heart health.
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