These Are The Six Most Frequent Myths About Cholesterol
What, in the constellation of myths of surrounding cholesterol, is true? Here are six tips to clarify some of the confusion about the role it plays in our bodies.
1. There is good and bad cholesterol
Cholesterol is a single lipid molecule found in the bloodstream that travels to different cells or flows in the intestinal systems direction to be expelled from the body. It is thought that it is imperative to strike a balance between the cholesterol entering the body and that being excreted, such that the levels in the blood do not exceed 200 mg per 100 milliliters of blood .
Ideally, the cholesterol entering the body does not exceed 150 mg/dl and that it does not leave at a rate higher than 40 mg/dl. If this balance is maintained, good health is maintained, while if there is an imbalance, people are considered to have bad cholesterol.
2. Eating meats and sausages increase the danger of cholesterol
3. Dairy products and eggs have an impact on cholesterol
The same is true of fats from dairy or egg products as, even though they are high in calories, they do not directly influence the amount of cholesterol in the blood, according to the journal Cholesterol. It is possible to be overweight without showing an alarming amount of bad cholesterol due to genetic factors or fatty foods ingestion.
4. Drinking Danacoles and Benecoles Lower Cholesterol
5. Cholesterol is a toxin that must be avoided
How To Keep Fat Intake Under Control
- Grill, bake, steam, microwave, boil or poach most of the time rather than frying or roasting.
- If you use oil in cooking or drizzle it over salads, measure it out with a spoon rather than pouring it straight from the bottle. The same goes for dressings.
- Remove the skin from chicken and the fat from meat before you cook it.
- Swap fatty meats and processed meats such as sausages, burgers and salami for lean meat, poultry, fish, tofu, beans, lentils or chickpeas. Use smaller amounts of meat, too.
- Stick with recommended amounts of spreads made with unsaturated oils like rapeseed oil. Benecol spreads are a great choice as they have plant stanols added to them, ingredients that are shown to lower cholesterol.
- Eat fewer high-fat snack foods such as crisps, chocolates, doughnuts, cakes, pastries and biscuits.
- Limit the amount of pastry products you eat such as pies, pasties, tarts and flans.
- Use semi-skimmed, 1% fat or skimmed milk instead of full-fat milk.
- Choose low-fat or reduced-fat varieties of dairy products such as reduced-fat cheese and low-fat yogurts. Benecol Yogurts are low in fat and also have cholesterol-lowering plant stanols added to them.
- Dont add cream to puddings, sauces or coffee.
Ways To Reduce Your Cholesterol
11:48
Dietician Sarah Keogh has more than 20 years of experience helping people make informed choices about nutrition. She offers her expert advice for managing high cholesterol.
High cholesterol is a common condition and is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease.
In Ireland, half of adults have high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest causes of death here. It is therefore essential that we know about the causes of cardiovascular disease and the steps we can take to reduce our risk.
What is cholesterol?We hear about it so often, but what exactly is cholesterol? It is a fatty substance naturally found throughout the body. It is produced by the liver, which provides the body with enough to function properly. Although it is essential for normal function, it can also lead to heart problems if there are high levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body.
What is the difference between good and bad cholesterol?‘Good’ cholesterol, also known as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL, helps to remove cholesterol from the blood vessel walls, which can help to prevent heart disease.
‘Bad’ cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL can build up on the walls of blood vessels, causing them to become narrower, which can lead to heart complications.
Other factors that can cause high cholesterol are not getting enough exercise, being obese or overweight and drinking too much alcohol.
How to lower your cholesterol:;
Session times:
Recommended Reading: How Much Mg Of Cholesterol A Day
Saturated And Unsaturated Fat
There are 2 main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Eating too many foods high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood.
Most people in the UK eat too much saturated fat.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
- meat pies
- cakes and biscuits
- foods containing coconut or palm oil
Eating foods that contain unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can actually help reduce cholesterol levels.
Try to replace foods containing saturated fats with small amounts of;foods high in unsaturated fats, such as:
- oily fish; such as mackerel and salmon
- nuts; such as almonds and cashews
- seeds; such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds
- avocados
- vegetable oils and spreads; such as rapeseed or;vegetable oil,;sunflower, olive, corn and;walnut oils
Do Benecol Products Reduce The Risk Of Chd
Benecol® Products are foods, and not drugs, and as such, they are used as a dietary approach. Plant stanol ester, the functional ingredient in Benecol® Products, has been proven to reduce cholesterol in 70+ clinical studies. Benecol® Products, when consumed daily with meals as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Recommended Reading: Does Sugar Cause High Cholesterol
Getting On The Sterols
More and more products that claim to help lower your cholesterol are showing up on supermarket shelves. Where previously this added benefit was offered by spreads alone, you can now get yoghurts and milks that do the same job, with cholesterol-lowering breakfast cereals on the horizon. And there’s good evidence that they do what they say.
These products have been enriched with plant sterols , which have a similar chemical structure to cholesterol. When eaten, they’re thought to compete with and block the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine, ultimately reducing the amount of cholesterol that ends up in your blood.
Eating 23 g per day of plant sterols in the form of enriched spread, yoghurt, milk or a combination of these products can help lower your cholesterol.
These products can have an impact on your cholesterol levels in a matter of weeks. But as with cholesterol-lowering medication, you need to have them daily for the benefits to last, so the costs can quickly add up.
How Long Does It Take To Lower Cholesterol
How low should you go?
And if you get your cholesterol down, are you home free? Protected from ever having a heart attack? What role does genetics play? Find out in this article.
Healthy lifestyle approaches like the Pritikin Program have been documented in medical journals to significantly reduce cholesterol levels within three weeks.
Recommended Reading: Which One Is The Bad Cholesterol Hdl Or Ldl
First: Do Plant Sterols & Stanols Lower Cholesterol How
As it turns out, it is well established that plant sterols interfere with the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine, effectively lowering plasma cholesterol. And there seems to be a proportional response: In those with higher LDL cholesterol, plant sterols have a stronger effect.
Plant sterol -sitosterol
Plant stanol -sitostanol
On the left side of the diagram you can see that the alcohol group has been replaced by an ester . This is how plant stanols are incorporated into Benecol.
These molecules resemble cholesterol, but all the extra carbons at the end make the sterols and stanols much more difficult for the body to absorb.
Who Can They Benefit
People at risk of heart disease and in particular those who have high blood cholesterol levels can benefit from eating products enriched with plant sterols. Research shows that if you lower your blood cholesterol levels, you lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Some research suggests that a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels by about 10% could reduce the risk of heart disease by 2025% although a benefit this great is most likely in someone with risk factors as well as high blood cholesterol.
You May Like: Does Coconut Oil Have Cholesterol
The Bottom Line On Benecol
We are excited to see that Benecol spreads, chews, and cereals can potentially help people lower their bad cholesterol levels to improve heart health. But, wed like to see a stronger focus on dietary changes that could also help weight-loss. There is a direct connection between losing and improving overall health. Plus, weve got negative reviews and problems with taste to consider.
For dieters who need to slim down and drop pounds of fat, we suggest partnering a product like Benecol with a clinically tested weight-loss program thats backed by some amazing customer testimonials.
After reviewing hundreds of weight-loss programs, the best weve found is called Noom. The program provides personalized meal plans. Support groups, and interactive support g, just to name a few. As if that wasnt enough, dieter reviews and multiple clinical studies show some fantastic weight-loss.
Also, the company responsible for Noom is so confident in their system, theyre offering a free trial offer, which means the only thing you have to lose is those extra pounds!
Weve seen reports of Benecol side effects that include upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Theres no clinical research linking Benecol to weight-loss. There is research linking plant sterols to lowering cholesterol levels, but nothing relating to users losing weight.
Benecol costs about $26.99 for the chews. The spread can cost between $4 and $6, depending on the retailer.
Sterols And Stanols In Two Words
First, as noted above, are the phytosterols. It is quite well documented that these phytosterols compete with cholesterol in food such that, when sterol or stanol-rich food is ingested, these components are absorbed instead of the cholesterol.
However, in addition to finding them in the aforementioned functional foods that lower cholesterol, these phytosterols are naturally present in various fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes, and vegetable oils. The same is true of the stanols, but they are found in even smaller amounts than sterols.
You May Like: How To Calculate Ldl Cholesterol Level
Your Risk Of High Cholesterol And How It Is Treated
Many people who have type 1 diabetes should be prescribed statin treatment for the primary prevention of heart disease. This means you may not have high cholesterol levels, but statins help to keep them in a healthy range and reduce the risk of heart disease.;
Those people with type 1 diabetes who should be offered statins, regardless of their cholesterol levels, include:;
- People older than 40 years
- Those who have had diabetes for more than 10 years;
- Those with established kidney damage or other CVD risk factors;
For people with type 2 diabetes, your overall CVD risk might be calculated using something called a QRISK calculator. ;Your healthcare team should explain what your risk of CVD is and how best to manage your blood fat levels. For primary prevention of CVD, people with type 2 diabetes who have a 10% or greater 10-year risk of developing CVD should be offered statins.;
If you have high cholesterol levels, you should have a blood test to measure total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol three months after starting statin treatment, with an aim of 40% reduction in non-HDL cholesterol. Ask your healthcare team what your individual targets are for your cholesterol levels.;
How Benecol Fights Cholesterol
Benecol is a plant-based addition to sterol products that act against cholesterol, LDL, and other bad forms. It works to reduce cholesterol efficiency in just three weeks, thus operating against hypercholesterolemia. It is made from fermented milk, which means it is a good addition to other dairy-based ferments containing plant sterols. These plant sterols occur naturally in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, making it a great treatment for hypercholesterolemia.
The plant sterols reduce the absorption of cholesterol by the body by 75%. This increases the synthesis of the apolipoprotein HDL, which facilitates good cholesterol. One unit of Benecol contains 1.6 g. of sterols, which reduces cholesterol levels in three weeks. It is important to include a variety of fiber-rich foods, such as more fruits and vegetables, in addition to Benecol.
Recommended Reading: What Cheese Is Low In Cholesterol
Benecol And A Healthy Diet
Phytostanol is a natural compound found in whole grains and cereals. However, the levels seen in plants are usually too low to provide significant health benefits.
Raisio patented its use of refined phytostanol foods in the early 1990s. It is refined by a proprietary process designed to bring out phytostanols cholesterol-reducing powers, without side effects.
Raisio has developed margarine, which includes Benecol, to have the most favorable nutritional profile of any margarine on the market. It is expected that future developments will improve these characteristics as new Benecol products will appear with lower amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, combined with higher levels of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids.
Scroll below for one of the best products weve seen over the last year.
An Easy Way To Get Plant Sterols
So what’s the story with cholesterol-lowering butter spreads, particularly plant-sterol spreads? Do cholesterol-lowering spreads work? I recently tried Benecol, the only buttery spread to offer plant stanols. How does Benecol work? Two Tablespoons of the spread contains that recommended 2 gram daily amount.
How does Benecol lower cholesterol? You may have seen or tried an earlier version of the spread that contained a lower amount of plant stanolsand also, unfortunately, trans fats. But the folks at Benecol;have worked hard to reformulate the product into the version you see today. It contains an effective amount of plant stanols and no trans fats.
Bonus: If youre already taking a statin to help control your cholesterol, adding a plant-stanol-containing product, such as the Benecol spread, to your daily diet could help to further lower both your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol , showsresearchin The American Journal of Cardiology.;
So it’s a heart healthy spread that may even help to reduce the risk of heart attack by lowering chances of high cholesterol. It also doesn’t alter your HDL cholesterol levels.
By the way, other habits that can help your heart health include taking in less saturated fat, taking dietary supplements such as omega-3s. You can also keep on top of the tips that the American Heart Association shares.
Recommended Reading: Are Egg Beaters Low In Cholesterol
What Is Benecol Spread
4.2/5BenecolSpreadsBenecolSpreadsread full answer
For 13 times the price, you could buy Benecol Light, one of the newer brands of spread that are “clinically proven” to reduce cholesterol. But Benecol also contains 7% plant stanols, that “lower bad cholesterol as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle”.
One may also ask, does Benecol really reduce cholesterol? Benecol. The Plant Stanols in the Benecol range have been proven, in over 70 independent clinical trials, to lower cholesterol by up to 10% in just 3 weeks. A daily intake of 1.5-2.4g of plant stanols lowers cholesterol by 7 to 10% in 2 to 3 weeks as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Similarly, it is asked, is Benecol a margarine?
Benecol is sold in numerous forms, but can be found in grocery stores as a brand of . It represents a specific group of functional foods known as plant sterols and stanols, which are unique in the supplement world because they actually do what they say they do.
How long does it take for Benecol to work?
Your cholesterol levels drop within 2-3 weeks after starting the daily intake of 1.5 to 2.4 g of plant stanols. The daily dose of plant stanol that you get from Benecol products is 2 g. Regular cholesterol tests will show that Plant stanol ester is working.
Apply For Heart Uk Product Approval
We would be delighted to talk the process through with you before you;apply;and;discuss whether your product falls within the application process. An application fee is then required once you apply for;actual;product;approval by our panel of experts.;
Once your application has been approved you will be issued with a license agreement which permits the use of the HEART UK Product Approval logo. License agreements are renewable annually.;
Costs will vary depending on the product and the amount of;research;and analysis required.;
The application process time will depend on the product and to find out more, .
You May Like: How Much Cholesterol Does An Egg Have
How Do Statins Work
Statins work by lowering levels of LDL cholesterol in your body. They do this by reducing the amount of LDL cholesterol that your liver makes. Statins also help your body reabsorb any cholesterol thats built up in your arteries.
The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology guidelines recommend statins for certain people. These are people who:
- have an LDL level of 190 mg/dL or higher
- already have cardiovascular disease
- have diabetes, are 4075 years old, and have an LDL level between 70 and 189 mg/dL
- dont have diabetes, are 4075 years old, and have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years
Examples of statins available today include:
- atorvastatin
- legumes
- nuts
All of these foods contain low levels of plant sterols, though. So eating these foods may not make a big impact on your cholesterol level.
An easier way to get enough plant sterols to lower your cholesterol level is through eating fortified foods. Plant sterols are added to certain foods, including some kinds of orange juice, yogurt, and margarine. To reap the cholesterol-lowering benefits, you need to consume at least 2 grams of plant sterols per day. This equals about two 8-ounce glasses of sterol-fortified orange juice per day.
Reduce Saturates Rather Than Cholesterol In Food
Cholesterol is only found in animal foods, usually in relatively small amounts. But a few foods, including eggs , shellfish and liver , contain much larger quantities. In the past, this meant advice was to limit these high-cholesterol foods if you had high blood cholesterol. Eggs were usually pinpointed as foods to avoid by anyone with high cholesterol as they tend to be eaten more often than shellfish or liver.
However, newer research now shows that compared to saturated fats, for most people the cholesterol in food impacts only moderately our blood cholesterol levels. The exception is people who suffer with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia , an inherited condition that results in extremely high blood cholesterol levels, and those with high cholesterol or at a high risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as people with high risk of CHD/CVD, enhanced cholesterol absorption due to certain gene variants in sterol transporters like ABCG5/G8 .
For most people though, saturated fat has a far bigger effect on blood cholesterol than the cholesterol found in food. This means if you need to lower your blood cholesterol, the most important thing you can do is eat fewer foods that contain saturates, such as fatty meats, full-fat milk, butter, lard, cream, pastry, cakes and biscuits. Meanwhile, most people can enjoy eggs as part of a healthy, balanced diet thats low in saturated fat, unless advised otherwise by their GP or a dietitian.
Read Also: How To Decrease Cholesterol Fast