Are Dates Bad For Cholesterol

Could This Be The Worlds #1 Food To Prevent Strokes High Blood Pressure And Cholesterol

Not everyone is completely familiar with date fruits. You mightve seen them at your grandmas house! Chances are, she also used dates for their amazing health benefits!

Dates are berries that grow on a date palm tree. Dates are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They have been taken advantage of medicinally since 6000 B.C.

They originated from parts of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Dates have a high sugar content. They actually are about 80% glucose. The health benefits of dates are plentiful.

Dates can relieve you of constipation, intestinal disorders, heart problems, anemia, sexual dysfunction, diarrhea, abdominal cancer, and many more health issues. They are also good for those who need to gain weight too!

They are rich in fiber. They also contain oil, calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium! Health specialists are known to recommend eating one date per day. They say that it is necessary for a balanced diet. You can consume dates in several ways. You can mix them into a paste and mix with milk, yogurt, or bread! People say that it is delicious.

According to a modern medical survey, it is now accepted that dates are useful in preventing abdominal cancer. Many Muslims break their fast by eating dates and water according to their cultural traditions. Breaking fast by eating dates helps avoid overeating of food after the fast is finished.

The Dietary Guidelines For Americans Summarized

Heres a summary of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:

Avoid industrial trans fats.

Replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, and aim to get less than 10% of your calories from saturated fats.

Reduce calories from solid animal fats with plant oils when possible.

Prioritize seafood , lean meats, poultry, eggs, legumes , nuts, seeds, and soy products over red and processed meats as sources of protein.

Other Potential Health Benefits

Dates have been claimed to have a few other health benefits that have not yet been extensively studied.

• Bone health: Dates contain several minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. All of these have been studied for their potential to prevent bone-related conditions like osteoporosis .
• Blood sugar control: Dates have the potential to help with blood sugar regulation due to their low glycemic index, fiber and antioxidants. Thus, eating them may benefit diabetes management .

Although these potential health benefits are promising, more human studies are needed before conclusions can be made.

Summary Dates have been claimed to promote bone health and aid in blood sugar control, but these effects have not been studied sufficiently.

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About Cholesterol Testing And The Lipid Panel:

This kind of test is one of routine based on a simple blood sample from you. The health professional will take a sample of your blood that will further be analyzed in a laboratory and in about 24 hours the results will be ready.

However, there are some rules you need to respect to make sure that the test will be properly done. The usual cholesterol tests require a period of 9-12 hours of fasting before the blood is drawn and avoidance of strenuous effort before the test.

If you are consuming food or beverages then the test will only provide total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol values because the LDL and triglyceride levels are influenced by the food recently consumed.

You should also inform your doctor about any medical conditions you have, any medical treatment you are following or other details that you consider relevant and that could interfere with the results of the test.

Why You Need To Get Your Cholesterol Levels Tested

Cholesterol and lipid tests are blood tests that measure the amount of different forms of cholesterol in the blood. All these forms are called lipids. The test measures total blood cholesterol, the levels of HDL , the levels of LDL and triglycerides.

The relation between all these levels can determine the risk for developing a heart disease. Since raised levels are mostly asymptomatic, medical professionals are advising everyone over the age of 20 to have them tested regularly.

Determining if you have high cholesterol can be the first step towards lowering it and therefore reducing risks related such big values.

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What Is High Cholesterol

Blood cholesterol is a natural fat. Your body needs it to function properly. Blood cholesterol helps to make:

• hormones, like estrogen and testosterone
• cell membranes and vitamin D

Your liver makes about 80% of the cholesterol in your body. The rest comes from animal-based foods or drinks, such as:

• fish
• egg yolks
• milk products

Eating foods that are high in cholesterol can affect some people’s blood cholesterol. Fatty foods are the biggest influence on your cholesterol levels. Having too much cholesterol in your blood is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.

There is both good and bad cholesterol in your blood.

Good cholesterol:

• can lower your risk of getting heart disease
• moves cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver, which gets rid of it

Bad cholesterol:

• makes arteries narrower by lining them with plaque
• plaque is a mix of fats, calcium and cholesterol

increases your risk of getting angina, heart attack and stroke

moves cholesterol into blood vessels where it may settle as plaque

reduces the amount of oxygen and blood flowing to the heart, brain and other organs because of clogged arteries

It is best to have high levels of good cholesterol and low levels of bad cholesterol.

Do You Have High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is a natural and essential part of all cells in your body. It helps produce hormones, make vitamin D, provide cells with structure, and plays a role in the process of digesting fats. The liver creates all of the cholesterol that your body needs, so it is not required that you get it from foods. Foods that come from animals such as meat, cheese, and eggs all provide dietary cholesterol to the body.

There are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoproteins and low-density lipoproteins . HDL is thought of as the good type of cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from your blood to your liver to be removed. This is helpful to the heart. LDL is the bad type of cholesterol: It causes a buildup of cholesterol in the blood, which leads to furring up of the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis and is a direct cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease.

Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood. They are separate to and different from cholesterol, but they are nearly always included in the cholesterol lab panel since they have a similar effect on your heart and overall health. Triglycerides come from eating too many calories . These extra calories are stored in the blood as triglycerides. High triglyceride levels can lead to heart disease and problems in your pancreas and liver, including fatty liver disease.

Here are the normal ranges for cholesterol and triglyceride levels in adults :

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Skip The Cakes And Pastries

Baked goods may taste good, but they are loaded with sugar and saturated fat that can make triglyceride levels climb. Bake goods and pastries may also contain dangerous trans fats. These types of fats should be avoided in all amounts. Read nutrition labels before you indulge in baked goods. If you strive for weight loss, to reduce high cholesterol, and to modify other factors for cardiovascular disease, limit your consumption of baked goods. Eat high-fiber, whole grain foods instead of baked goods. Just be mindful to stay within the carbohydrate intake limit your doctor has established for you to reach your triglyceride goals.

Be Careful With Calories

Dates may be rich in nutrients and filling fiber, but as a dried fruit, theyre a concentrated source of calories. Four pitted dates have almost 270 calories. For perspective, a whole cup of grapes has about 60 calories, while one dried date has about 65 calories. Dates may be healthy, but eating more calories than you burn, no matter where they come from, leads to weight gain. Excess weight causes your heart to work harder.

To keep calories in check on your heart-healthy diet, put your four dates in a bowl and put the rest away. Or, chop your dates and add them to your salad or grain dish for a touch of sweetness in a lower-calorie dish.

References

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Choose Fish In Water Not Oil

Fish is a heart healthy food, but read the label carefully when you buy canned fish. Doctors recommend that you watch your intake of fat when you have high triglycerides, especially saturated and trans fats. It is a better idea to buy canned fish that is packed in water. You will get all the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in fish without the downside of additional fats that may contribute to high triglyceride levels. The American Heart Association recommends that people eat at least 2 servings of fatty fish per week. Fatty fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, herring, trout, mackerel, sardines, and albacore tuna.

Best Dried Fruit For Cholesterol

Written By Michael Greger M.D. FACLM on September 12, 2013

When I saw there was a paper entitled Daily Dried Apples Versus Daily Dried Plums: Impact on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Postmenopausal Women, the first thing I thought was well, was the study funded by the U.S. Apple Association, or the International Prune Association? Turns out neither. Just our taxpayer dollars hard at work. Great! So, what did they find?

One hundred and sixty older women were randomly assigned to a dried apple group or a dried plum group and followed for a year. A dozen dried apple rings a day, or about eight prunes. As you can see in my three-minute video, Dried Apples, Dates, Figs, or Prunes for Cholesterol?, within three months, the apple group experienced a significant drop in cholesterol that stayed down throughout the rest of the study, but no cholesterol benefit in the prune group. Both dried fruit regimens lowered C-reactive protein levels about the samethough dried plums may cause a quicker decrease in inflammation, whereas dried apples may result in a greater decrease overall.

Prunes may not help our cholesterol, but they may improve the health of our skinsee Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep. Thats, of course, in addition to their customary regularity rolesomething I address in Prunes vs. Metamucil vs. Vegan Diet.

More on dried fruit can be found in:

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May Promote Brain Health

Eating dates may help improve brain function.

Laboratory studies have found dates to be helpful for lowering inflammatory markers, such as interleukin 6 , in the brain. High levels of IL-6 are associated with a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers .

Additionally, animal studies have shown dates to be helpful for reducing the activity of amyloid beta proteins, which can form plaques in the brain .

When plaques accumulate in the brain, they may disturb communication between brain cells, which can ultimately lead to brain cell death and Alzheimers disease .

One animal study found that mice fed food mixed with dates had significantly better memory and learning ability, as well as less anxiety-related behaviors, compared to those that did not eat them .

The potential brain-boosting properties of dates have been attributed to their content of antioxidants known to reduce inflammation, including flavonoids .

However, human studies are needed to confirm the role of dates in brain health.

Summary Dates may be helpful for lowering inflammation and preventing plaques from forming in the brain, which is important for preventing Alzheimers disease.

Should You Eat Dates Before Bed Or Empty Stomach To Reap Maximum Health Benefit

• Being high in fiber and sugar content, dates or khajur often leave people speculating about whether they should be consumed after soaking over night or raw or on empty stomach or before going to bed. Read on to know when is the best and worst time to eat dates

As an energy-rich snack that can be consumed daily, dates are high in calories and easy to overeat in one sitting. Apart from having an excellent nutrition profile, dates are high in fiber which is important for our overall health, benefits digestive health by promoting regular bowel movements, provide various antioxidants that help reduce the risk of several diseases and also help in improving the brain function.

However, being high in sugar content and fiber, dates or khajur often leave people speculating about whether they should be consumed after soaking over night or raw or on empty stomach or before going to bed. Hence, it is important to know when is the best and worst time to eat dates.

Best time:

Dates dont spike blood sugar quickly even though they are naturally high in sugar. Hence, 2-4 dates can be eaten 30-60 minutes before a workout as they allow a steady stream of energy or fuel the body courtesy their slow-releasing carb.

Their fiber content ensures that one remains full for a long time and keep hunger pangs at back. So khajurs serve as the best health snack and can even be eaten before bedtime.

Worst time:

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How Is Cholesterol Measured

Most people with high cholesterol feel perfectly well and often have no symptoms. The best way to find out if your cholesterol is high is to have a blood test .

Visit your GP to determine whether you need to lower your cholesterol level and what action to take.

GPs can also do a heart health check, that calculates your heart disease and stroke risk.

Enjoy Some But Not Too Much Fruit

Fruit is part of a healthy diet, but too much fruit may hinder your ability to lower your triglycerides. Fruits contain varying amounts of fructose, a type of monosaccharide found in some foods. People who have high triglycerides should limit their intake of fructose to no more than 50 to 100 grams per day. Excess fructose increases triglycerides. Eat 2 to 3 servings of fruit per day. Dried fruits, like raisins, are high in fructose. Have no more than 2 tablespoons per day. Dates, raisins, figs, and dried apricots are high in fructose.

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Health Benefits Of Dates That Prove Why This Superfood Is A Must In Every Mans Diet

Dates are a popular fruit that grow on palm trees in clusters. They are believed to have originated from Iran and have emerged as one of the healthiest foods to add to ones diet.

But did you know exactly why it is considered healthy? Well, thats exactly what were going to discuss today.

Dates have been around for ages now and highly dense in many important nutrients. Here are six reasons why you should add some dates to your daily diet.

How Does This Cholesterol Calculator Work

This tool functions as a total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides and LDL calculator. Do you want to know whether your HDL, LDL levels or the TC/HDL ratio and LDL/ HDL ratio show an increased risk for heart disease?

Use it then to check if your cholesterol levels are in the normal range. All you have to do is input the data from your medical documents.

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How Fat And Cholesterol In Food Affect Blood Cholesterol Levels

The types of fat in the diet help determine the amount of total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. The types and amount of carbohydrate in the diet also play a role. Cholesterol in food matters, too, but not nearly as much.

• The discovery half a century ago that high blood cholesterol levels were strongly associated with an increased risk for heart disease triggered numerous warnings to avoid foods that contain cholesterol, especially eggs and liver. However, scientific studies show a weak relationship between the amount of cholesterol a person consumes and his or her blood cholesterol levels

• In studies of more than 80,000 female nurses, Harvard researchers found that consuming about an egg a day was not associated with higher risk of heart disease. However, people who have heart disease or diabetes should monitor egg consumption.

For most people, the amount of cholesterol eaten has only a modest impact on the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood. For some people, though, blood cholesterol levels rise and fall very strongly in relation to the amount of cholesterol eaten. For these responders, avoiding cholesterol-rich foods can have a substantial effect on blood cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, at this point there is no way other than by trial and error to identify responders from non-responders to dietary cholesterol.

How The Fat You Eat Affects Cholesterol Levels

The relationship between the fat we eat and our health, particularly our cardiovascular health, has been hotly debated for many years.

Heres what you need to know:

Not all fats are created equally.

The kinds of fat you eat matter more than the amount.

There are different types of fats in our diet:

• Polyunsaturated fats: essential and important nutrients

• Monounsaturated fats: can come from plant or animal products and are generally considered healthy

• Saturated fats: less healthy than mono- and polyunsaturated fats

• Trans fats: unhealthy fats

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Treatment For High Cholesterol

Making lifestyle changes, especially changing some of the foods you eat, and regular physical activity, are very important to help reduce high LDL cholesterol.

You may also need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines to help manage your cholesterol and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Talk to your doctor about finding the most appropriate treatment for you.