Cholesterol
indicators
Researchers have learned a lot about cholesterol since the
days when your doctor would warn you off eggs and shellfish. We now know that
while those foods contain cholesterol, eating them will not significantly raise
cholesterol levels in the blood. Cholesterol comes in different kinds of
protein-containing particles, including high-density lipoproteins (HDLs),
low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs). The
cholesterol theory of heart disease is that certain particles, such as LDLs and
VLDLs break off and clog arteries, resulting in atherosclerosis. Most experts
backed away from using total cholesterol level as the marker, after researchers
discovered that one form, HDL, may actually be protective. At that point, LDL
cholesterol became the indicator to watch, though some doctors look at all
non-HDL cholesterol, including both LDL and VLDL. More recently, cardiologists
like Dr. Allan Sniderman of McGill University in Montreal have been calling for
testing what he calls a more accurate marker—a blood protein known as apolipoprotein B (apoB). While previous cholesterol
markers just show the amount of lipid in the blood, Dr. Sniderman says, ApoB
provides a direct measure of cholesterol-carrying particles. Learn to spot the
silent signs of a heart attack.
Diet still
matters
It may surprise you to learn that half of all heart attacks
happen in people with normal cholesterol. A groundbreaking study in the New
England Journal of Medicine looked at 10,000 people who had
suffered heart attacks and saw elevated blood levels of a protein associated
with inflammation—C-reactive protein, or CRP. They administered an
anti-inflammatory drug to some and a placebo to others; the anti-inflammatory group
saw 37 per cent less inflammation and 15 per cent fewer cardiovascular events
(such as heart attacks) compared with the placebo group. These 16 anti-inflammatory foods can actually help
alleviate pain.
Soda
Now that researchers know high-cholesterol foods don’t
actually raise cholesterol, says Marie Spano, RD, a sports nutritionist based
in Atlanta, they’ve had to look to other culprits. Public enemy number one
turns out to be sugar: It’s even worse than saturated fat in
raising cholesterol and overall heart disease risk. According to research
published in JAMA, a
diet high in sugar—and sweetened beverages like soda are a major source—drives
up bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (another type of blood fat), while
depressing levels of good HDL cholesterol. Here are 25 ways eating sugar is making you sick.
Processed red
meat
You may not realize that your body needs some
cholesterol—it’s put to use building cells and crucial hormones. According
to new research, lean and unprocessed red meat, when
eaten as part of a Mediterranean-style diet, may improve heart health. ’This
study is important because it shows that red meat can be part of a
heart-healthy eating pattern, like a Mediterranean-style eating pattern,’ says
Wayne W. Campbell, professor of nutrition science at Purdue University in West
Lafayette, IN, in a news release. A meta analysis published in Circulation concluded
that consumption of processed meats, but not red meats, is associated with
higher incidence of chronic heart disease. The Purdue study showed that adults
who are overweight or moderately obese could benefit from a Mediterranean-style
diet with or without red meat as long as the red meats were lean and
unprocessed. Here are the secret ingredients that make the Mediterranean Diet as tasty
as it is healthy.
Trans fats
"Manmade trans fatty acids raise cholesterol and
independently contribute to heart disease risks," says nutritionist Spano.
And while many manufacturers have removed—or are in the process of
removing—trans fats, they still pop up in a surprising number of products:
Prepackaged baked goods, desserts, even some types of chocolate. Read labels
and avoid anything with partially hydrogenated oils listed among the
ingredients, Spano says. Here’s what Canada’s nutrition facts labels really mean.
Fried foods
The oils used to fry—or deep-fry—foods are often high in
unhealthy fats, and research
shows that cooking food in these oils at high temperatures induces
chemical reactions that increase the formation of trans fats. Deep-fried foods
also tend to be unhealthy or fatty to begin with—think of fried chicken, fried
mozzarella sticks, and donuts, for example—making them a double threat.
These are the 10 worst foods for aging, according to a health expert.
White bread,
rice, and pasta
When you eat simple carbohydrates that are stripped of fiber
your body breaks them down just like sugar, and both inflammation and LDL
cholesterol rise as a result. Overeating refined carbs such as white rice,
white-flour pasta, and white bread can have the same effect on your body as
drinking soda, says Amy
Shapiro, RD, a dietician based in New York. Research shows eating foods that contain fiber can
actually help lower inflammation in some surprising ways.
Breakfast
cereal
Not only are most cereals made of refined carbohydrates, but
cold breakfast cereals also tend to pack in the added sugars, warns Spano. In
one recent study, people who had healthy blood sugar levels
entered prediabetic and diabetic levels after eating one bowl of cereal with
milk. Other research points
at sugar as the chief cause of fatty liver disease, which increases heart
attack risk. (Learn to spot the signs of fatty liver disease.) Eating too much added
sugar and starch over time can also raise blood pressure, increase chronic
inflammation, and lead to high triglycerides, low HDL, and high amounts of
VLDL. Unsweetened oatmeal (look for steel-cut or slow-cooking types that you
can sweeten naturally) is a heart-healthier choice, thanks to all the fibre it
delivers. (Check out more surprising health benefits of oatmeal.) And if you’ve
been avoiding eggs because you thought they raise cholesterol, check again.
Here’s how to make perfect hard-boiled eggs, every
time.
Coconut oil
Coconut products (oil, flour, water) are enjoying popularity
among some health gurus, even though their high saturated fat content can raise
LDL cholesterol. Researchers have found consumption linked to
increases in total cholesterol and LDL—more so than unsaturated oils like olive
or safflower. On the other hand, coconut oil consumption has also been found
to boost "good" HDL cholesterol. Whether it’s saturated or
unsaturated, fat of any kind tends to nudge HDL levels up, though coconut oil
seems to be especially effective at it. The jury’s still out, so best to eat it
sparingly. The American Heart Association issued an advisory
against replacing healthier oils—like vegetable—with coconut oil. Don’t miss
these eight clever uses for coconut oil (besides cooking).
Fast food
While generally lacking in nutrients and not good for you,
fast food can have an especially insidious effect on cholesterol. A 2017 study found
that people who ate fast food more than once a week suffered a significant
increase in LDL and total cholesterol compared to levels in people who rarely
ate it. Study authors said that over the long term, the elevated LDL and total
cholesterol levels could raise the study subjects’ risk of coronary artery disease by 10 per cent. Salt is
also abundant in fast food, and it raises blood pressure, another risk factor
for heart disease. And if the fast food meal includes a soft drink, that’s a
triple whammy, as consuming too much sugar can cause obesity, and risk of heart
disease increases as weight and waist circumference do. Having trouble
controlling those fast food cravings? Here’s how to train your brain to hate junk food.
Bottled salad
dressings
Salads are supposedly healthy, but not if you drizzle them in
a commercial salad dressing, as most contain a surprising amount of added
sugar, says Spano. In fact, when the consumer group Label Insight crunched the numbers, they found
that 91 per cent of the more than 4,200 dressings in their database contained
added sugars; worse, a single two-tablespoon serving could exceed daily sugar
limits. Stick with oil and vinegar or a DIY dressing. Here are 50 more sneaky reasons you’re gaining weight.
Butter
Once considered totally unhealthy because it contains
saturated fat, butter was blacklisted, and we were all encouraged to eat
margarine instead. But now that the saturated fat myth has been debunked, butter is back—and science has proven
margarine to be the unhealthier option, with its trans fats or partially
hydrogenated oils. Unlike other cooking fats, butter does contain important
nutrients, including fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. This doesn’t mean
you should go out of your way to eat more of it, but as part of a healthy diet,
grass-fed butter can take its place with other healthy fats like olive oil,
vegetable oils—or even avocados if you get creative.
These are the 12 groceries that are worth buying organic.
Dairy
Is milk good for you? While the jury is still out on
just how much of an effect foods have on cholesterol levels—it’s especially
true of dairy. Some research indicates that things like aged cheddar and
yogurt, even though they’re whole fat, have little to no effect on blood cholesterol,
says Spano. In general, it’s fine to consume these foods in moderation. As
always, try to get more plant-based and fewer processed foods into your diet on
a regular basis—an undisputed winning dietary strategy. Your heart will thank
you, Spano says. Next, check out 30 easy ways to boost your heart health.
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