What is Cholesterol

What is Cholesterol

Not all Cholesterol is created equal!

Firstly what prompted me to write this post is that, this blog has a feature that lets one see the google searches that directed viewers to the site. Some of these searchers were "how much cholesterol in ogbona" or "does palm oil have a lot cholesterol"....These questions, as innocent and unassuming them may seem, only tell me how misinformed the general public is about nutrition.

I would like to start by saying Cholesterol is only....,ONLY, found in animal products. So if, a food does not come from an animal, no matter how fattening the food is, the food is cholesterol free.

I often see labels on products like different oils or some junk foods stating Cholesterol free. To the unknowing, one might read this and think this is healthier than the other one because it's cholesterol free. But ALL oils are Cholesterol free. Oil comes from plants, ogbonna comes from a plant, eguisi comes from a plant, and likewise they are all cholesterol free.

The only food products that have cholesterol are: all meats, and any products with eggs or dairy in them. Dairy products would include milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, and butter.

So what exactly is cholesterol

Cholesterol is a steroid of fat produced naturally in our bodies and found in food containing animal products. But not all cholesterol is created equally. There 4 main types of cholesterol found in our bodies; chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL (low density lipoprotiens), and HDL (high density lipoprotiens). The two of primary concern are the LDLs (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol). So if you didn't know, now you know that some cholesterol is actually good for you. Now let me explain why.

High levels of circulating blood lipids (fats as well as cholesterol) is not a good thing in our bodies. It can lead to plaque build up in the blood vessels leading to high blood pressure, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues. HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), actually helps remove lipids from the blood vessels, while LDL cholesterol, bad cholesterol, transports lipids to the blood stream.

So it is actually a good thing to have high HDL cholesterol levels in our body. Certain foods increases levels of HDL and LDL cholesterol in our bodies; fats in particular. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like those found in Omega-3 fatty acids actually increase HDL cholesterol levels in our body, which is one way they have a cardio-protective effect on our body. Saturated fats and trans fats, like those found in processed foods, butter, and animal fats can increase LDL cholesterol, which is one reason one should stay away form these types of fats. Yes, palm oil can lead to higher levels of LDL cholesterol, which is why I suggest using carotino oil as a substitute it you use palm oil heavily. Intake of saturated fats have a more negative effect on  blood cholesterol than actual intake of cholesterol. A high cholesterol diet can still higher blood cholesterol but a diet high in saturated fat is worse. So, particularly if you are suffering from high cholesterol, you should not only monitor you cholesterol intake but also your fat intake.

Conclusion 

I hope you now see why not all Cholesterol is created equal. Just remember if you are buying products and they are not animal based, but they say cholesterol free, it is only an advertisement gimmick to make it appear better than similar products. Because all food products not stemming form animals are cholesterol free.