Keeping cholesterol levels in check is important for overall health, as high cholesterol levels have been linked to conditions including heart disease and stroke. We asked a nutritionist to give us her top tips for reducing blood cholesterol, as well as explaining exactly what cholesterol is and what its function is within the body.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy fat, with 75% made in the body by our liver and the rest coming from the food we eat. For decades, cholesterol was believed to be the enemy when it came to heart health, but the latest research suggests it may not be as simple as we first thought.
Being a fat, cholesterol has to be transported by a carrier in the blood – these carriers are protein complexes called lipoproteins. You’re probably familiar with them because they're often confusingly referred to as 'bad' cholesterol or Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) and 'good' cholesterol or High Density Lipoproteins (HDL). As with most things, it’s not as simple as that – these lipoproteins are not cholesterol, and both LDL and HDL will be present in a variety of different forms – the smaller, denser of which appear to pose the greater risk. Your unique mix of LDL and HDL and their sub-types depends on your combination of genes, as well as your lifestyle.
Why do we need cholesterol?
Although we’ve grown up to fear cholesterol, we do actually need it for our bodies to function properly – in fact it’s fundamental to life. That’s because cholesterol is crucial for forming cell walls, producing hormones like oestrogen and testosterone, helping repair nerves, producing bile so we can digest and absorb the fats in our diet and to make the 'sunshine vitamin', vitamin D. What’s more, cholesterol improves our memory and helps us feel good because it makes the mood-boosting hormone, serotonin.
How do I know if I have healthy cholesterol?
Your blood fats, including cholesterol level, can be measured by a simple blood test carried out by your GP. You can read more about how to get your cholesterol checked on the NHS website. You should ask your GP for a cholesterol test if you have not had a test before and you're over 40, if you're overweight, high cholesterol or heart problems run in your family, or you have a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia.
What are triglycerides?
Cholesterol is not the only type of fat in your blood. If you’ve had a blood test to check your cholesterol levels, you’re likely to have also been told your triglyceride level. Triglycerides are the main form of fats in the body and we use them to store energy in our cells. Too much of this fat in your blood is an important, independent risk factor for heart disease.
Do dietary fats cause high cholesterol?
Alongside cholesterol, fat has long been treated as the enemy. Saturated fat is frequently vilified as it has been linked to cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol. Red meat, butter, cheese, burgers and sausages, are high in saturated fat, as are ghee, coconut and palm oils. A diet high in saturated fat can increase blood fats, including triglycerides, as well as increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. However, recent studies are now suggesting that the saturated fats in some foods such as dairy products, including cheese, do not appear to be as harmful as once thought. This may be because other nutrients in dairy, like calcium, may modify the effects on blood fats such as triglycerides.
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