Cholesterol often conjures up frightening images: heart attack, arterial narrowing, obesity. However, cholesterol is more than that. Did you know that humans cannot live without cholesterol? Or that pregnant women with low cholesterol are more likely to have a premature birth?

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a buttery (soft and greasy) substance that is transported through our blood. The substance is produced by our liver and travels throughout our body in the form of lipoproteins, or protein particles. Not only does our own body produce cholesterol, but it is also found in the food we eat. Cholesterol is found in saturated fats and animal products.

• Meat;
• Sausage;
• Butter;
• Cheese;
• Chocolate.

Although negative news suggests otherwise these days, cholesterol does not necessarily have to be bad for you. It can also have positive effects on your body. Cholesterol is important for the production of cell walls, hormones and bile. It is also a building material for the nervous system and some hormones.

Distinction between good and bad

So not all cholesterol is bad for you. You must distinguish between LDL and HDL:

• Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is bad cholesterol. You should keep this level as low as possible;
• High- density lipoprotein (HDL) is good cholesterol. You must keep this standard high .

Why is one type of cholesterol good for you, while another results in disease and illness?This is due to the effects that cholesterol has on you. The bad cholesterol is deposited against the artery walls, leaving less and less space in the artery itself. This then causes blood flow to run less smoothly and is sometimes even interrupted. As a result, blood no longer flows properly between the heart and brain and the rest of the body and this can result in a heart attack or stroke. This arterial narrowing is also called arteriosclerosis.HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is good for you. It counteracts LDL cholesterol by transporting it to the liver. The bad cholesterol is broken down in the liver and transported out of the body via bile and feces.

Recognition of elevated cholesterol

You cannot notice a high cholesterol level. It may be related to a hereditary defect in fat metabolism. However, it can be measured at the doctor’s office. This can be important to check, especially because it entails serious risks, namely cardiovascular disease.Measuring cholesterol levels Blood tests are done for this, often two or three times. Each time a different factor is taken into account, with at least a week’s interval between the examinations. In the first test, the level is measured (in millomoles per liter of blood). In the second (and sometimes third) test, the HDL and triglyceride levels are determined. Preferably these levels are 0.9-2.0 mmol/liter and lower than 2.2, respectively. The second test is usually only done if the cholesterol level in the first test is 6.5 or higher.

Lower bad cholesterol

We want to keep bad cholesterol low and this can be done by using certain types of foods that contribute to this. This seems to be possible by using garlic. Fatty fish are also said to lower cholesterol levels. Examples are: tuna, sardine, halibut, bucking, salmon, mackerel, herring and trout. Farmed fish is generally somewhat fattier than wild-caught fish. You can alsoeateggs, liver and kidneys , because these are (although you might expect otherwise) not rich in cholesterol. Nowadays there are more and more products that claim to be cholesterol-free. Cholesterol occurs in animal products and products that do not contain animal substances can indeed be cholesterol-free. However, this does not mean that they are automatically good for your cholesterol. For example, many fried products contain trans fats that also raise cholesterol. But because the products themselves do not contain cholesterol, the packaging may state that they are cholesterol-free.Further:

• Low-fat varieties, such as skimmed milk and yogurt, low-fat cheese;
• Soft and liquid fats instead of hard margarines and the like;
• Less snacks and chocolate.