Table of contents:
- Do foods high in cholesterol make cholesterol in the body soar?
- Cholesterol from food is taken only a little, the rest is produced by the body
- Foods with trans fats are much more dangerous than foods high in cholesterol
He said in order to avoid heart disease, you should avoid foods high in cholesterol. Foods high in cholesterol such as egg yolks, shrimp, and several types of seafood are thought to cause increased cholesterol levels in the blood. In fact, is it true that these high cholesterol foods will directly increase the body's cholesterol levels? Are foods high in cholesterol the main cause of soaring cholesterol levels in the body?
Do foods high in cholesterol make cholesterol in the body soar?
Basically, there are two types of cholesterol, namely those obtained from food and cholesterol that is produced by the body itself. In the body, which has the task of producing this waxy substance is the liver (liver).
Yes, although many think cholesterol is bad, this substance is actually needed by the body. Cholesterol is important for the body to:
- Forming body cell walls
- Helps the body produce vitamin D.
- Play an important role in the formation of hormones
- Helps the digestive process
However, problems start when too much of it in the body gets into the blood vessels and causes blockages. When this condition occurs, the risk for a heart attack is very high.
So, it really doesn't matter if foods containing cholesterol are consumed in normal and reasonable portions.
Cholesterol from food is taken only a little, the rest is produced by the body
You can just blame the high cholesterol foods that you consumed before. However, food alone is not enough to increase the amount of cholesterol and cause blockages in blood vessels. In fact, only 15-20 percent of cholesterol is taken from food.
The rest or as much as 80-85 percent of cholesterol is made by the body. So when cholesterol levels go up, this is caused by an increase in cholesterol production in the body, not solely due to you eating high cholesterol foods.
When you eat 200-300 mg of cholesterol - which is contained in one egg yolk, the liver will produce 800 mg of additional cholesterol from other foods that have entered the body, such as carbohydrates (sugar), protein, and fat.
This means that whatever your diet, can actually have the potential to increase cholesterol levels in the body. Moreover, if you eat in excessive portions, all the food - whether it's protein or carbohydrates - the remainder that has not been used by the body will be converted into fat reserves. Well, all these fat reserves have the potential to become cholesterol which will increase its levels in the blood.
So, you should avoid consuming excessive portions of food, including foods high in cholesterol, which also have the opportunity to affect blood cholesterol levels.
Foods with trans fats are much more dangerous than foods high in cholesterol
If you've heard of trans fats, then this type of fat is the worst fat among the others. The reason is, this fat will not only increase levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body but also reduce levels of good cholesterol (HDL), so the risk of blockage of blood vessels is very large.
Trans fat itself is fat that is produced when food or beverages undergo processing at the factory. Usually, some manufacturers even add trans fat content to their products to make the product last longer.
There have been many studies that prove that trans fats are responsible for the high cholesterol in the body which can then cause blockage of blood flow. Therefore, you should stay away from foods that have trans fats, which are found in packaged foods and drinks and fried foods.
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