Why Consume Cholesterol Free Healthy Food?

Yes, we are all told to consume healthy meals instead of calorie packed grease bombs that can jeopardize any fitness progress we might have made and get our cholesterol levels up in ways we couldn’t even imagine! Have you ever wondered why? Why is cholesterol the proverbial bugbear of doctors and nutritionists alike? A closer look at cholesterol and its types would actually help you understand the logic behind healthy eating and lowering blood cholesterol levels. The cholesterol word will be printed on almost every food pack. Before going ahead, you should understand the type. Cholesterol is known as a biochemical sterol and is not actually a fat. There are no calories contained in cholesterol and energy cannot be drawn by the body from the same. All cell membranes throughout the body make use of cholesterol along with the brain’s cellular structure, central nervous system and nerve insulation framework. Naturally produced cholesterol in the body contributes towards making bile acids for better digestion while it also helps with regard to adrenal and sex hormone functioning. Vitamin D is also manufactured by the body using cholesterol.

While naturally produced cholesterol is a necessity, it usually enters our bodies from saturated fats and animal sources, namely eggs, dairy products, poultry, butter, yolks, cheese and liver. This cholesterol is transported to the liver where it adds to the existing naturally produced cholesterol. This is then transported to body cells by low density lipoproteins or LDL. The extra amount of LDL stays in the bloodstream and is deposited into artery walls leading to a buildup of plaque which eventually narrows the arteries and cuts supply of blood to vital organs. This is why LDLs are called bad cholesterol. HDLs (high density lipoproteins) are called good cholesterol owing to their ability to suck cholesterol from arteries and pick up extra cholesterol from the bloodstream. This is taken back to the liver and converted into bile for elimination through the intestines. The diet plan matters immensely here and hence the need for healthy recipe or two every day.

Avoiding dietary cholesterol entails that you stick to healthy snacks and balanced diets with plenty of nutrients and fibre. When it comes to table spreads, you can completely forego butter and use Nutralite instead. This is a healthy table margarine with no hydrogenated fat content and unbelievably low cholesterol levels. This also contains MUFA and PUFA for combating cholesterol and hence can be a wonderful daily solution for your health needs.

Shivani Shetty is a leading nutrition and dietary expert. She offers guidance on choosing healthy foods and keeping dietary cholesterol at bay.

Shivani Shetty is a nutrition and wellness expert and offers advice on choosing the best a href ="http://www.nutralite.com/products"cholesterol free foods and table spreads on a regular basis.