Which Is Your Good Cholesterol

Common Misconceptions About Foods And Cholesterol

Just because a food contains cholesterol does not mean it will raise cholesterol levels. In fact, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans of 2015-2020 removed the recommendation to limit dietary cholesterol to 300 mg per day, stating that adequate evidence was not available. Extensive research does not show that eating foods that contain cholesterol causes heart disease.

However, many foods remain feared for the belief that they increase the risk for heart disease or harm overall health. Some of these foods are highlighted below:

In addition to these foods, there has been concern over the recently trending ketogenic diet and its role in cholesterol levels. This style of eating limits nearly all sources of carbohydrates and instead gets a majority of calories and other nutrients from high-fat foods and protein. This diet includes eating large amounts of meat, eggs, cheese, and other high cholesterol, high saturated fat foods.

While it may seem as though this style of eating would be harmful to cholesterol levels, current research does not support this so far.

Whats Hdl Ldl Cholesterol

One kind referred to as high-density lipoproteins, or HDL, truly protects you in opposition to coronary heart illness by carrying extra ldl cholesterol again to your liver. Thats why youll typically see it known as good ldl cholesterol. Normally, increased ranges of HDL ldl cholesterol are a great factor. And what you eat may also help enhance your HDL ranges.

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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Lifestyle Tips To Improve Your Cholesterol Levels

A healthy diet and regular exercise are two of the most important factors in maintaining good cholesterol levels.

In addition to choosing foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in certain types of fish like salmon, albacore tuna and sardines as well as dark leafy greens, almonds and avocados try to incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine.

If you need help finding activities you enjoy, consult with a personal trainer or check out new fitness classes being offered at local gyms.

What Is The Difference Between Good Cholesterol And Bad Cholesterol

Good cholesterol is known as high-density lipoprotein . It removes cholesterol from the bloodstream. Low-density lipoprotein is the bad cholesterol.

If your total cholesterol level is high because of a high LDL level, you may be at higher risk of heart disease or stroke. But, if your total cholesterol level is high only because of a high HDL level, youre probably not at higher risk.

Triglycerides are another type of fat in your blood. When you eat more calories than your body can use, it turns the extra calories into triglycerides.

Changing your lifestyle can improve your cholesterol levels, lower LDL and triglycerides, and raise HDL.

Your ideal cholesterol level will depend on your risk for heart disease.

• Total cholesterol level less than 200 is best, but it depends on your HDL and LDL levels.
• LDL cholesterol levels less than 130 is best, but this depends on your risk for heart disease.
• HDL cholesterol levels 60 or higher reduces your risk for heart disease.
• Triglycerides less than 150 milligrams per deciliter is best.

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What Is Good Cholesterol And How Do I Boost It

• Frequently Asked Questions

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that plays an important role in the body. It is found in cells and helps produce hormones, like estrogen.

Your liver produces enough cholesterol for the body to function effectively, but certain foodsprimarily animal products, like eggs, dairy, and meatalso contain cholesterol.

There are two types of lipoprotein that carry cholesterol to and from cells: high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein .

HDL is considered the good cholesterol because a healthy level may protect you from cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, LDL is considered the bad cholesterol because it contributes to fatty buildup in your arteries.

How To Raise Your Good Hdl Cholesterol Levels

There are a lot of things to keep track of when it comes to your health, one of which is your cholesterol levels. This information tells us how well the blood is circulating in our bodies and poor results can be an indicator that something with your health is not quite right.

While nearly 40-percent of American adults have high cholesterol, did you know that cholesterol can also be too low? Thats because there are different types of cholesterol that doctors are looking at. Heres an explainer on cholesterol and how you can raise your good HDL levels.

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Hdl Stands For High Density Lipoprotein

Lipoproteins are little parcels of lipids and proteins, which transport fats around the body in the blood.

HDL cholesterol contains a lot of protein and relatively little fat. This means its very dense, which is why its called high density lipoprotein.

HDL cholesterol is one of the five main types of lipoprotein. It carries about a quarter of the cholesterol in your blood. Most of the rest is carried in LDL cholesterol, sometimes called bad cholesterol as it can lead to heart disease.

Stripped Of Fiber And Nutrients

White and brown rice are the most popular types of rice and have similar origins.

Brown rice is simply the entire whole rice grain. It contains the fiber-rich bran, the nutrient-packed germ and the carbohydrate-rich endosperm.

On the other hand, white rice is stripped of its bran and germ, leaving just the endosperm. Its then processed to improve taste, extend shelf life and enhance cooking properties .

White rice is considered empty carbs since it loses its main sources of nutrients.

However, in the US and many other countries, white rice is typically enriched with added nutrients, including iron and B vitamins like folic acid, niacin, thiamine and more (

8 ).

White rice has a GI of 64, while brown rice has a GI of 55. As a result, carbs in white rice are turned into blood sugar more rapidly than those in brown rice .

This may be one reason why white rice has been associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

In a review of studies in over 350,000 people, researchers found that those who ate the most white rice had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least .

Whats more, each serving of rice eaten per day raised the risk of type 2 diabetes by 11%.

Similarly, a US-based study showed that higher intakes of white rice were linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas higher intakes of brown rice were linked to a significantly lower risk .

These risk factors include:

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What Complications Are Possible If You Dont Treat High Cholesterol Levels In Your Blood

The main reason to treat high cholesterol is to prevent or treat coronary heart disease , also called coronary artery disease or CAD. CHD happens when heart is not able to get enough oxygen-rich blood to function well and kills more people in the U.S. than any other cause of death. CHD usually refers to the large arteries, but there is also a condition called coronary microvascular disease that affects the small vessels and causes damage.

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.

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Whats Your Cholesterol Level Anyway

A standard lipid blood test usually measures the concentration of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides levels. The LDL-cholesterol level is typically estimated from these numbers using a well-established formula that has been more recently revised and improved by researchers at Johns Hopkins.

So what are your target numbers? According to Michos, an ideal LDL cholesterol level should be less than 70 mg/dl, and a womans HDL cholesterol level ideally should be close to 50 mg/dl. Triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl. As Michos notes, total cholesterol levels well below 200 mg/dl are best.

What Kind Of Test Measures Cholesterol

Everyone over the age of 20 should get their cholesterol levels measured at least once every five years. Your healthcare provider will order a blood test that will indicate how much cholesterol is carried in your bloodstream. This test will give your cholesterol levels. Your provider might also order what is called a lipid panel or a lipid profile. The panel gives you the following numbers:

• Total cholesterol.
• Non-HDL cholesterol.
• Ratio between cholesterol and HDL.

There are advanced tests that break down the size and shapes of LDL cholesterol levels, and also give the LDL particle number, but those are not normally ordered. Some test makers say that the more advanced tests are better at indicating who is at risk for heart disease, but most providers still feel that the usual tests are adequate.

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Cholesterol Chart For Adults

Your doctor may recommend a plan of treatment for high cholesterol that includes lifestyle modifications and potentially medication. This will vary based on factors like other medications you may be taking, your age, sex, and general health.

Here are some medications more commonly prescribed for high cholesterol:

• Statins.Statins lower the LDL cholesterol levels by slowing the production of cholesterol by the liver.
• Bile acid sequestrants.Bile acid sequestrants are substances used in digestion. These resins can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by binding to bile acids and removing them, forcing the body to break down LDL cholesterol to create bile acids instead.
• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors.Cholesterol absorption inhibitors can block the absorption of cholesterol from the diet, sometimes in conjunction with statins.
• Bempedoic acid.Bempedoic acid helps to stop an enzyme in the liver, ATP citrate lyase, from making cholesterol. This drug is often combined with statins for increased benefit for those with familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited condition that can cause early heart disease.
• PCSK9 inhibitors. Also used frequently with familial hypercholesterolemia, PCSK9 inhibitors, which are injected drugs, help the liver absorb and remove more LDL cholesterol from the blood.

Medications can also be used to treat contributing factors to cholesterol like triglycerides. These may be used in addition to some of the medications above.

Medical Guidelines And Recommendations

In 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommended that Americans eat as little dietary cholesterol as possible, because most foods that are rich in cholesterol are also high in saturated fat and thereby may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. For over 2 decades, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that dietary cholesterol be no more than 300 mg per day. In a 2014 draft, DGAC dropped this recommendation because evidence showed no appreciable relationship between dietary and serum cholesterol. This caught the eye of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine , which sued DGAC due to concerns of conflicts of interest which prompted the final draft to recommend eating “as little dietary cholesterol as possible”. A 2013 report by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology recommended to instead focus on healthy dietary patterns rather than cholesterol limits as they are hard for clinicians and consumers to implement. They recommend the DASH and Mediterranean diet, which are low in cholesterol. A 2017 review by the American Heart Association recommends switching saturated fats for polyunsaturated fats to reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

Risk for heart disease

> 6.2

High risk

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What Tips Do You Have For Eating Healthier Fats

Hahn shared these added tips for including healthy fats into your diet:

• Add a tablespoon of chopped nuts to a salad
• Cook with a light drizzle of olive oil
• Incorporate more fish into your meals during the week
• Use avocados to make chicken or tuna salad instead of mayo
• Limit overly fatty meats, baked or other highly processed, high sugar and fried foods

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When Should You Contact Your Healthcare Provider About Your Cholesterol Levels

In truth, your healthcare provider will probably talk to you about your numbers first. As always, contact your provider if you have any new or worsening pain or other uncomfortable feelings. Make sure you know what medications you take and what they are expected to do. Call the provider if you have a reaction to the medicine.

Before you go to the office, and after you have had a cholesterol test, it helps to have a list of questions prepared about your test results and any proposed treatment.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

When considering cholesterol numbers, its important to remember that you really have the ability to make those numbers go in your favor. What you choose to eat, how much you are able to move and how you deal with lifes ups and downs are things that you can influence.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/31/2020.

References

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How Can You Prevent High Cholesterol Levels And Coronary Heart Disease

Prevention methods are very much the same as treatment methods. First, dont smoke. If you do smoke, make plans to quit now. Find ways to add physical activity to each of your days. Take steps to keep your weight in a healthy range. Eat well. Consider following the Mediterranean diet. It is the only diet proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. Take care of any other medical conditions you might have by following your healthcare providers advice and instructions. Learn to really relax and calm down.

If Cholesterol Is Necessary Why Do We Have To Worry About How Much We Have

Having enough cholesterol to meet your needs is important. Having too much cholesterol can cause problems. If your cholesterol levels are high, the condition is called hypercholesterolemia. If your cholesterol levels are low, the condition is called hypocholesterolemia. It is not common to have cholesterol levels that are too low, but it can happen.

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What Is Hdl Cholesterol

Often labeled as good cholesterol, HDL is a type of lipoprotein particle that removes excess cholesterol and plaque in your arteries.

Everyday Health

Learn More About LDL Cholesterol

Together with LDL and triglycerides, HDL cholesterol makes up the three individual components measured in a lipid panel, the blood test that doctors and other primary care providers use to test your cholesterol.

Rice Bran Oil Benefits

The oil extracted from rice bran may also have cholesterol-lowering properties. According to a study published in 2010 in the Journal of the Indian Medical Association, substituting 80 percent rice bran oil mixed with 20 percent safflower oil for cooking oils normally consumed by study subjects helped reduce low-density lipoprotein or LDL, also known as the bad cholesterol levels. Keeping LDL levels in check significantly reduces your risk for developing heart disease.

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Is It Ok To Eat Fish If Youre Watching Your Cholesterol

If dietary changes are part of your overall plan to lower your LDL cholesterol levels, fish is a good option. While all fish contain some cholesterol, many are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential dietary fats that can actually help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels by lowering your triglyceride levels. They can also help increase your HDL levels.

Your body cant make essential omega-3 fatty acids, so you have to get them from the food you eat. Omega-3s are important for a variety of body and brain functions and are even thought to affect mood and pain. Salmon, trout, and tuna, as well as walnuts and flaxseed, are all good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

In addition, most fish are low in saturated and trans fats, and many contain no trans fats at all.

All of that said, you may be wondering about shrimp, which contains 161 mg of cholesterol in a 3-ounce serving. If you have high cholesterol levels, your doctor may advise you to avoid shrimp. If so, you should follow your doctors recommendations. But keep in mind that research has shown that the increase in HDL levels from eating shrimp may outweigh the risk from the increase in LDL levels. Learn more about it in this article on shrimp, cholesterol, and heart health.