High cholesterol foods like eggs and red meat lead to high cholesterol in the body, right?
Not exactly.
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In fact, abandoning high cholesterol/high-fat foods to adopt a fat-free eating style might be one of the worst things you can do to your cholesterol profile.
The cholesterol that circulates or collects inside your body is not the result of dietary cholesterol; your body produces cholesterol on its own. Eating more cholesterol does not ramp up production, but eating sugar does.
Eating added sugars and refined carbohydrates is what stimulates cholesterol production. When you eat them, blood sugar levels rise, and insulin is released to carry the sugar to your cells for energy between meals. But if there is too much sugar, which is often the case with diets high in refined carbs, the sugar is essentially stored as “bad” LDL cholesterol, leading to fat gain and deposits in arteries.
When insulin increases, so does LDL. Conversely, it leads to a reduction in “good” HDL cholesterol, which is the non-storage form of cholesterol and the kind that works against heart disease. All of the extra sugar leads to more stored fat and an increase in triglycerides.
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So, if you want to reduce cholesterol, eating fewer high-sugar refined foods can play an enormous role. If you cut off the source of bad LDL production and the need to store excess sugar, LDL and triglycerides go down and HDL goes up.
Understanding this essential relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol can help you manage heart health in an effective manner. When craving something sweet, look for a piece of fiber-rich fruit. It will not have the same reaction as refined sugar or carbohydrate—the fiber will slow insulin release so its effect on cholesterol will be neutral at worst. In fact, high-fiber diets actually promote heart health by reducing LDL and boosting HDL.
Also, avoid items that say “low-fat.” Often, these are loaded with sugars that will do more bad for your health—and waistline—than good.
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
