Recommendation of fat consumption

According to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), for the average healthy adult, daily intake of saturated fats should be less than 7 percent of the total daily calories and overall fat intake should be less than 35 percent of total daily calories. It is recommended to consume 30% of total daily calories from fat, 55% from carbohydrates and 15% from protein. Research has found when fat content of the diet goes below 25% of total calories that binge eating is more likely and satiety (satisfaction after eating) decreases.

Fats perform many vital roles to aid in the body’s functions, providing the stored energy in the body, carrying fat-soluble vitamin A ,D, E and K. Without fat we are at risk for developing deficiencies of these vitamins.

The essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, are substances that need to come from our diet. They are necessary building materials for cells and compounds that perform such vital functions in our body as regulation of blood pressure, blood clotting, immune response and childbirth. Excellent sources of these essential fatty acids are salad dressings containing Canola or soybean oil, salmon, tuna and sardines.

Weight loss

If you want to lose weight, calories do count no matter what nutrient source including fat, carbohydrate, protein and alcohol. Take the calories you eat per day and multiply by 25%, then divide by 9 to get your fat gram percent. For instance, if you eat 1600 calories per day, multiply by 25% to get 400 fat calories, and then divide by 9 to get 44 fat grams.

Carbohydrates should be 55 - 60% of total calories. Since carbohydrates only have 4 calories per gram, take 1600 calories, multiply by 60% to get 960 carbohydrate calories, then divide by 4 to get 240 grams.

If your diet has less than 1 teaspoon of oil per day you could develop a fatty acid deficiency. Symptoms are red, irritated skin, infections and dehydration. The liver processes food fat and may develop abnormalities if fatty acids are deficient as well.

Food that would add fat, but not a lot of calories are poultry and fish and non-fat dairy products like skim milk, low fat cheeses and low fat yogurt. You should avoid fried and high fat foods which are also concentrated sources of sugar and calories.

Another thing to be aware of is when fat is removed from a product, something else must be added, usually carbohydrates in order to maintain a desirable taste and texture. For this reason, many fat-reduced and fat-free products are still very energy dense, containing a high amount of calories. Since calories do matter, whether come from fat, carbohydrates or protein. Therefore, consider the increase in the number of low fat foods while be sure to moderate your portions if you consume a lot of fat reduced products.

Low fat tips

Here are some suggestions for a healthy diet.

Read nutrition labels
Food labels show us how much fat is in a product, in terms of both grams and in terms of calories. Food labels also show us how much saturated fat is in a particular item, as well as the percentage of total calories that amount would represent for someone on a 2000 calorie/day diet.

Low fat cooking
Even healthy foods can turn into unhealthy diet if they are fried or coated with butter and oil during cooking. Try to adapt to lower-fat cooking styles such as steaming, as well as stir and baking with a minimum amount of oil. It is also very important to trim off any visible fat from meat before cooking. Fresh chicken and turkey are low in fat but remember to remove the skin before cooking. Use low fat recipe for ideas on low fat cooking.

Portion size
Balanced diet needs to watch carefully portion as well. It is easy to overestimate the amount of food that makes up a “portion.” For example, if your diet plan calls for a 3-ounce portion of meat, that’s about the size of a deck of playing cards. Eating portions that are too large, means you are getting more fat than you should.

Food choices
Another way to reduce the amount of fat in your diet is to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Most fruits and vegetables are fat-free except avocados, olives and coconuts. Pastas and breads are usually low in fat. Use skimmed milk as much as possible and limit use of whole milk and eat fish more often.

Watch for types of fats
In addition to making healthier choices when it comes to food selection and preparation, it is also important to be aware of the different types of fat. Saturated fats have been linked to higher levels of blood cholesterol, and should be limited. Unsaturated fats such as sunflower, corn, canola and olive oil, can help lower overall blood cholesterol levels, as long as they are used within moderation as part of an overall healthy reduced-fat diet. The benefits of unsaturated fats are lost, however, when they undergo a process called “hydrogenation” which solidifies them so they have a longer shelf life in processed foods. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), these hydrogenated trans fats or trans-fatty acids can actually raise total cholesterol levels. Again, read labels carefully to make sure you are not getting too much of the unhealthy kinds of fat, as well as too much fat overall.

Again, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly is the key to stay healthy and live a happy life.

A balanced diet is crucial for our health. Fats grasp our attention because many of our favorite foods contain significant amounts of fat, which provides much of the great taste we enjoy in foods. Fats are a very important part of eating a healthy diet. They play many vital roles in our bodies including providing energy. Dietary fats provide vital hormone-like substances and essential fatty acids for our healthy skin as well. In addition, fats also carry and help our body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

On the other hand, because fat contains more calories than carbohydrates and protein, too much dietary fat may increase our risk of chronic disease. Eating too much fat may also play a role in becoming overweight because fats contain twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrates. A tablespoon of fat contains 120 calories. Therefore, managing fat is very important for a balanced eating diet. Eating appropriate amount fats is a wise way to promote healthy weight and overall health.

Varieties of fats

There are three types of fats found in our diet, which are saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. These fats come in two forms, solid or liquid. Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature such as butter and lard, while poly- and monounsaturated types tend to be liquid at room temperature such as vegetable oils. Some examples of the monounsaturated variety are olive oil and canola oil. Some polyunsaturated types are corn, sunflower, and soybean oils. Although all fats contain all three of these types, the classification as a saturated, mono-, or polyunsaturated is determined by the one that exists in the greatest concentration in that particular item.

Saturated fat can lead to high cholesterol, and is thought more of a contributor to high blood cholesterol than eating too much cholesterol itself. Most of our intake should be from mono- and polyunsaturated fats. The essential fatty acids including omega-3 and omega-6 are polyunsaturated, which must be taken in through the diet, because they are important to immune function and vision and form vital body structures. Specifically Omega-3 in fish oil reduces the blood’s tendency to clot lowering the risk for a heart attack. It is highly suggested that more omega-3 be consumed than omega-6. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in canola and soybean oils, as well as fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, and sardines. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in many foods such as whole grains, mayonnaise, margarine, and salad dressing that give us enough easily.

Be aware of trans fatty acids

Trans fatty acids were introduced to replace saturated fat originally. In reality, both are harmful to our health since they raise LDL cholesterol levels (the “bad” cholesterol) and lower HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” cholesterol). When liquid fats are made solid, they are hydrogenated, which forms trans fatty acids. Watch for food labels for “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”; products containing this kind of ingredient have high trans fatty acids. Stick margarine, fried foods such as French fries, chicken fingers, and doughnuts etc. usually have high in trans fats as well.

How much fat is appropriate?

Usually there is no need to purposely add fat to an already healthy diet. Fats are found in animal products, milk, fish, and nuts. Butter, margarine, and oils are added to many foods. The American Heart Association, the National Academy of Science, the American Cancer Society, and many other groups and nutrition boards recommend a diet in which a maximum of 30% of calories come from fat including no more than 10% of total calories from saturated fats, 55-65% calories come from carbohydrates, and 10-15% of calories are provided by proteins.

Benefits of low fat diet

There is strong evidence that the high levels of fat consumed are a major risk factor for conditions like gallbladder disease, cancer, and diabetes. Furthermore, high levels of saturated fats, which are found in animal fats, high-fat dairy foods, and solidified (hydrogenated) vegetable oils, raise our cholesterol level and promote heart disease and strokes.

By statistics, the typical American receives more than 40% of his or her calories from fat, with the remaining calories coming from protein and carbohydrates, which are much high than the recommendation of less than 30% from The American Heart Association and many other groups and nutrition boards.

From a weight loss point of view, a low-fat diet is ideal because it minimizes the amount of fat that our body has to store in the first place. Excess dietary fat can be directly stored by our body with minimal conversion needed, only about 3 percent fat calories used in metabolizing dietary fat to body fat. On the other hand, carbohydrates are usually burned up immediately rather than being stored, even to be converted to fat if they’re present in sufficient quantities; they need about 27 percent carb-calories for metabolizing carbs to fat.

Lower-fat foods including reduced-fat, low-fat and fat-free foods can help us manage the fat in our diet while we can continue to enjoy our favorite foods. In moderation, and as part of a healthful diet, these foods make it easy to make low-fat choices. Follow the Food Guide Pyramid and make smart choices when shopping, cooking and eating. Enjoy plenty of grains, vegetables and fruits and eat recommended amounts of lean meats, poultry and fish, and lower-fat dairy products. Enjoy margarine, butter, oils and salad dressing in moderation.

However, eggs do benefit our health as well, because they are very good source for nutrients especially for protein, they are also rich in vitamin B12, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. In addition, eggs also provide a good source of lutein, a type of antioxidants.

Does egg consumption lead to high cholesterol levels and thus increased risk of coronary hearth disease?

A diet high in cholesterol can contribute to elevated blood cholesterol levels. However, the extent to which dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol levels is not clear yet. Many scientists believe that saturated fats and trans fats have a greater impact than does dietary cholesterol in raising blood cholesterol.

How many eggs should a healthy person limit a week?

One large egg has about 213 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol, all of which is found in the yolk. If you are healthy, it is recommended that you limit your dietary cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg a day. Therefore, if you eat an egg on a given day, it is important to limit or avoid other sources of cholesterol for the rest of that day.

Nutrition researchers at Kansas State University have published the evidence that the absorption of cholesterol in eggs is reduced by another compound in the eggs, a lecithin. Studies have shown that healthy adults can enjoy an egg every day without increasing their risk for heart disease. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health found no significant link between eating eggs and developing heart disease among healthy individuals.

How many eggs should a person who has high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level limit a week?

If you have cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high LDL (”bad”) cholesterol, you should limit your dietary cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg a day. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends not eating more than 2 egg yolks per week, you can have as many egg whites as you like.

Conclusion

Eggs are a nutrition rich food. One egg contains 6 grams of protein, 17 different vitamins and minerals, including omega-3 fatty acids, foliate and vitamin E, which are associated with protection from some of the risk factors for coronary heart disease as well. Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss. Therefore, moderation is the key. For each person, balanced diet and exercises is the key to stay healthy.

There is no doubt that regular exercise is very important to promote our overall health. There are a lot of exercise programs with different types of exercises, such as walking, running, swimming, and Yoga etc.

Aerobic Exercises

Experts are certain that exercise does have a positive effect on cholesterol levels. Aerobic exercise for more than 12 minutes, which requires our body to increase its oxygen intake and raises our heart rate, has been shown to have the greatest benefit. So far, most studies have been performed on aerobic exercises, such as jogging, running and other high impact exercise. It is reported that aerobic exercises appear to benefit cholesterol the most, by lowering LDL levels (“bad” cholesterol) by 5 to 10% and raising HDL levels (”good” cholesterol) by 3 to 6%. In addition, studies show that Cholesterol metabolism is possibly improved through exercises. It burns away excess cholesterol by flushing fats in the form of sweat and helps in increasing the High-density lipoprotein (HDL level) in the body that is required in the body for maintaining healthy heart functions.

Experts recommend, regardless of the workout type, that individuals try to reach their active or target heart rate zone during the activity. Your target heart rate is between 60 and 80% of your maximum heart rate. It is in this target zone that the most cardiovascular benefits occur.

There are many forms of exercise for lowering cholesterol including low impact exercise. Research shows that many low-impact exercises do provide cardiovascular benefits. For example, water exercises, such as swimming, water walking, and participating in water games, are shown can also produce similar results for lowering cholesterol levels as aerobic exercise. In addition, studies have shown that walking, yoga, and tai chi can also lower cholesterol.

Although aerobic exercise appears to provide the most cholesterol lowering benefits, it is important to note that any type of physical activity will help lowering cholesterol levels, managing weight and promoting heart health.

How Much Exercise Do You Need

The intensity and frequency of exercising depend on each individual’s needs. Moderation is the key. Over exercises may lead to tissue damage and affect our health.

Studies show that 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, whether low or high impact, raise the HDL levels (good cholesterol) and lowers the LDL levels (bad cholesterol).

Current research has shown that in order to achieve lower cholesterol levels, we must obtain at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. However, a continuous 30 minute time period for your schedule is not necessary if you are busy, the time period can be divided up in intervals throughout the day. For example, two 15 minute exercise sessions, you still can receive the same healthy benefits from the exercise.

Warm Up and Cool Down

In order to stay healthy while exercising, we need do warm up and cool down properly.

• Begin and end each workout with 5 minutes of very light activity.
• Be sure to stretch well before and after exercising.

In addition, drinking sufficient (6-8 glasses) water each day, and remember to have water available during your workouts.

It is very important for patients to talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program, because you may need to take extra care when exercising. We should also be alert to our own body throughout our workouts. If you do not fell well, like ever experience dizziness, chest pain, stop exercising and contact to your doctor.

Exercise is an important way in lowering cholesterol and promoting overall health. Healthy eating is also crucial. Proper exercise and balanced diet can assist in maintaining cholesterol imbalance. For better health result, exercise should be combined with healthy diet, and weight control.

Experts suggest us different types of exercises, and how often to practice them according to each individual’s physical stature. A combination of health beneficial exercises such as aerobics, weight bearing exercises, flexibility exercises etc for improving cholesterol levels in the body is recommended. Aerobics are said to normalize heart beat rate while stretching exercises help in building and strengthening body muscles. Regular exercise has a lot of benefits for us including eliminate stresses of modern life and improve the quality of our life. Let’s move!

Saturated and unsaturated fats

While some fats can be helpful in keeping our cholesterol levels low, other can raise our cholesterol levels and place us at a higher risk of getting heart disease later on.

Saturated fats are those that become hard at room temperature found mostly in animal-based foods, such as meat, milk, butter and cheese; and in coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. We should limit saturated fats intake because they harm our blood vessels, and increase the risk for developing hardening of the arteries called atherosclerosis. Saturated fats also affect the levels of cholesterol in the blood and increase the risk of developing coronary artery disease. It is suggested by health experts that most of our fat calories should be from monounsaturated fats, such as from olive oil, peanut oil, avocados, and nuts or polyunsaturated fats, such as from liquid vegetable oils, corn oil, or soybean oil.

As we all know, medication will finally lead to side effects to our body, we should stick to natural treatments as possible as we can. Having a healthy diet is the first step towards good cholesterol management.

What should we eat?

Foods with low-saturated-fat, trans fat-free, and low-cholesterol are recommended, such as:

• Soy products including tofu, soy milk, soy protein powder and soy/veggie burgers
• Fish, especially fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, and trout. This type of fish contains Omega-3 fatty acids and they are thought to lower LDL, the bad cholesterol. At least 2 servings baked or grilled each week are recommended
• Lean meats and poultry without skin, recommended up to 5 to 6 total ounces per day
• Low-Fat dairy products using semi skimmed or skimmed milk, low fat yogurts
• Foods high in polyunsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds and vegetable oils and monounsaturated fats, such as olive, soybean oils, walnut oil and avocado, 4 to 5 servings per week are recommended
• A variety of fruits and vegetables, 8 to 10 servings per day are recommended
• Beans and peas
• Garlic
• Oatmeal
• A variety of grain products like bread, cereal, rice and pasta, prefer whole grains and 6 or more servings per day are recommended

What should we limit?

• Fatty meats
• High-fat processed meats like sausage, salami and hot dogs
• Goose and duck
• Organ meats like liver, kidney
• Fried foods
• Prawns, shrimp and fish roe
• Saturated oils like coconut oil, palm oil
• Saturated fats hydrogenated margarine and lard
• Dairy products such as full milk, cream, cheese, butter and ice cream
• Egg yolks, it is recommended to limit to 2 a week
• Cakes, pies, crisps, biscuits, sweets and chocolate

Cooking tips

• Cut off all visible fat from meat before cooking
• Take all the skin off poultry pieces before cooking or eating
• Try to grill or steam meats instead of frying or roasting
• Place meat on a rack to allow the fat to drain off, if you do roast or bake
• Use vegetable oil, such as sunflower when frying
• Instead of regular cheese, use low-fat cottage cheese, part-skim milk mozzarella and other fat-free or low-fat cheeses
• Make recipes or egg dishes with egg whites or egg substitutes, not yolks
• Serve smaller portions of higher-fat dishes
• Serve bigger portions of lower-fat dishes like pasta, rice, beans and vegetables

Shopping tips

• Buy low fat foods ensure they are labeled “low in saturated fat, trans fat free”
• Buy low cholesterol foods ensure they are labeled “low in cholesterol”
• Buy low sugar foods ensure they are labeled “low in sugar”
• Buy a variety of vegetables, fruits, fish and soy products

Low- Cholesterol diet tips

Some healthy adjustments to our diet can lower our cholesterol levels effectively. Here are some top of low-cholesterol foods:

Oatmeal
Fiber, specifically soluble fiber, is considered as the vacuum cleaner of our body. Cholesterol and other fats are found in the bile. Fiber binds with bile and is excreted from our body. This is done before our intestines absorb cholesterol, therefore effectively lowering our cholesterol levels and keeping us healthy. The soluble fiber can be found in oatmeal, which helps reduce the amount of bad cholesterol, also known as LDL (low-density lipoprotein) absorbed as food moves through our digestive tract. It is reported that one and a half cups of oatmeal contains about 4½ grams may lower our LDL cholesterol by approximately 5%.

Soy products
The cholesterol lowering effect of soy milk and its role of heart disease was widely recognized in the mid 90s when the results of a meta-analysis of 38 clinical studies were published. The results demonstrated that a diet with significant soy protein reduces Total Cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, the “Bad” cholesterol and Triglycerides.

Fish
Include fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids in our diet such as salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring help lower cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids are known for reducing the risks of blood hypertension and blood clotting. Eating two servings of fish per week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. Bake or grill the fish to lock in the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids is recommended.

Walnuts and almonds
Among the nuts, walnuts and almonds contain significant amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are great helpful for maintaining healthy blood vessels. Studies have shown that walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol. Almonds appear to have a similar effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four weeks.

It is reported that a cholesterol-lowering diet in which 20 percent of the calories come from walnuts may reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 12 percent. But all nuts are high in calories, so a handful, no more than 2 ounces or 57 grams, will do. As with any food, eating too much can cause weight gain, and being overweight places us at higher risk of heart disease. Nuts can be eaten as a snack or sprinkled on salads or with other foods.

Pomegranates
Israeli researchers studied the effect of pomegranate juice on heart disease parameters in patients with diabetes and concluded that pomegranate juice may help halt the development of atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries in people with diabetes. The results of this study were published in the Atherosclerosis journal in August 2006. Preliminary evidence suggested that drinking concentrated pomegranate juice may reduce cholesterol. It was further suggested that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice a day for one year reduced blood pressure, particularly systolic pressure and slowed down LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol oxidation.

Pomegranate juice helps to erode cholesterol buildup and causes an increase in the production of nitric oxide in the body, which further helps prevent against rising cholesterol levels.

Avocados
The unsaturated fat in avocados helps us protect against heart disease while increasing our body’s production of healthy cholesterol. The reason is that avocado is a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which helps to raise levels of HDL, the “good” cholesterol, protecting our arteries, while lowering levels of LDL, the “bad” cholesterol.

According to a recent study in Brisbane, Australia reported that eating avocados daily for three weeks improved blood cholesterol in middle-aged women better than a low-fat diet did. The daily amount of avocado ranged from 1/2 avocado for small women to 1 1/2 for large women. Therefore, by eating right amount of avocados, heart patients are expecting to cut their risk of heart attack.

This article discusses how to reduce cholesterol levels by eating healthy foods; on the other hand, regular physical activity is crucial for reducing cholesterol levels. In addition, heart diseases depend on the number of risk factors besides high blood cholesterol levels. Some diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure also impact on blood cholesterol, and raise the risk for heart disease as well.

Eating a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, getting plenty of exercise, managing a healthy weight can help us prevent high cholesterol levels. Because cholesterol levels tend to increase with age, we should pay attention to diet and exercise particularly as we are getting older.