Fat – It’s Only Part of Where It’s At!

What is Cholesterol?  Cholesterol is a waxy fat steroid  It is manufactured in the :  Liver  Intestines  Adrenal glands  Sex organs Cholesterol is only synthesized in animals

The Good…  Cholesterol is a very important compound!  It is needed to produce:  Cell membranes  Myelin  Vitamin D  Steroid hormones  Bile acids

The Bad…  High blood cholesterol levels are strongly connected to  Atherosclerosis  Coronary artery disease  Saturated fat will elevate “bad” (LDL) cholesterol more than any other type of fat  Trans fat raises LDL cholesterol like saturated fat

The Ugly…  Americans tend to be an obese and sedentary population with excess calorie intake  Many like a diet with excess animal protein that is high in saturated fat and cholesterol  Many enjoy the convenience of processed foods that can contain high levels of total fat and trans fat  The number one killer of Americans is coronary artery disease.

So What To Do? Give Yourself Some TLC !  Eat less than 7% of total fat calories as saturated fat  Limit dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg/d  Keep total fat consumed in the range of 25% to 35% of total calories

More TLC…  Add 2 grams of plant stanols or sterols to your diet each day  Include 10 – 25 grams of soluble fiber in your diet each day  Work on managing your weight (overweight raises LDL cholesterol and triglycerides)  Exercise! It increases your “good” (HDL) cholesterol

Foods with Soluble Fiber Have more of these!  Oatmeal and oat bran  Barley  Beans and lentils  Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit  Apples and pears  Peaches and nectarines  Prunes and plums  Bananas

More foods that can help…  Soy protein  Nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios)  Cold water fish with Omega-3- fatty acids reduces risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)  Alcohol (!?) One drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men is associated with lower risk of CVD

High Cholesterol Foods Portion Control Please!  Any food with animal fat has cholesterol  Foods with lots of dietary cholesterol:  Cheese  Egg yolk  Beef  Pork  Poultry (esp. skin)  Shrimp

Foods High in Saturated Fat Cut back!  Both animal and vegetable foods can be high in saturated fat  High saturated fat foods include:  Fatty cuts of meat  Poultry especially with the skin  Whole-milk dairy products  Some vegetable oils especially coconut and palm oil

Foods High in Trans Fat Limit these!  Any food made with hydrogenated oil or fat  Stick margarine is high in trans fat  Other high trans fat foods can include:  Crackers  Cookies  Peanut butter  Pastries  Cakes and pies You have to read the Food Facts Label to be sure!

When choosing processed foods  Use the Nutrition Facts Label  Calories and Calories from fat (less)  Trans Fat and Sat Fat (less)  Dietary Fiber (more)  Check the ingredient list & avoid:  Hydrogenated oils

Excellent Resources!  National Cholesterol Education Month National Cholesterol Education Month  Your Guide to Lowering Cholesterol with TLC Your Guide to Lowering Cholesterol with TLC  It’s About Eating Right! It’s About Eating Right!  High Cholesterol: Understanding Your Risks High Cholesterol: Understanding Your Risks  History of Cholesterol History of Cholesterol