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Cholesterol - Cholesterol and Your Health

The effect of cholestrol and your health is dependant on the type of cholesterol. Contrary to popular belief, the liver creates most cholesterol and only a small percent is obtained through food. However, the more saturated fats a person eats, the more cholesterol his or her body makes.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that forms a part of each cell in your body. Your body needs cholesterol for daily functions that include making hormones, producing healthy cell walls and making vitamin D. It also produces bile acids that help in the digestion of fat.

Although this waxy substance helps your body in many ways, excessive production of cholesterol can also be harmful to your body. When this happens, the extra cholesterol spills out and circulates into your bloodstream. High levels of cholesterol in a person’s blood can causes clogging of blood vessels, while increasing the risks of stroke and heart disease.

Cholesterol comes from animal-based food like dairy products, eggs and meat. The two types of cholesterol are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is the bad form of cholesterol that usually cause the clogging of blood vessels, while HDL is the good form of cholesterol and is responsible for clearing LDL out of your bloodstream which helps reduce the risks of heart disease.

Understanding food types and blood cholesterol and your health.

Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are three types of fats found in food. Each type of dietary fat affects a person’s blood cholesterol in different ways. For instance, saturated fats are those found in lamb, pork, beef and other red meat products. Excessive saturated fats in the body can be dangerous to your health.

Monounsaturated fats are those found in plant oils, such as canola, peanut and olive. Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fat, can help in slowing down blood clots and fight heart disease. They are found in fish and plant oils, such as soybean, corn, safflower and sunflower.

Since all kinds of fats are sources of calories, they can all contribute to weight gain. However, consuming too much saturated fat is harmful to your body because it is the main cause of high cholesterol levels in the blood. Bottom line, the more saturated fats you eat, the more cholesterol your body produces. This cholesterol eventually end up in your bloodstream.

In the effort to lower blood cholesterol, substituting saturated fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help by getting rid of newly formed cholesterol in the body. For this reason, people with high levels of blood cholesterol need to change their eating habits to ensure that the right kind of fat enters their bodies. A daily routine that includes some form of exercise is also helpful in controlling your body's cholesterol and your health.

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