High blood cholesterol is a known risk factor for heart disease. Decades of dietary guidelines suggested dietary cholesterol as one of the main factors in increasing blood cholesterol. However, these guidelines are now being challenged by recent scientific evidence, negating dietary cholesterol as a major contributing factor to cardiovascular disease for most people.
Here we discuss current scientific knowledge to understand the role of dietary cholesterol in increasing blood lipid levels and increasing the risk of heart disease.
Blood cholesterol and food cholesterol are different
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Health, USA, cholesterol that circulates in the blood is a waxy, fat-like substance that is produced by the liver when it is needed. Dietary cholesterol is found in foods of animal origin such as meat, liver and other offal, whole milk products, egg yolks and shellfish and is ingested in relatively small amounts. Cholesterol is important in fulfilling several physiological functions, synthesizing hormones and vitamin D.
What the research says
A systematic review of 40 studies by Samantha Berger and colleagues found that consumption of foods containing cholesterol was not associated with coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, or hemorrhagic stroke.
In a review article titled “Rethinking Diet Cholesterol,” Maria L. Fernandez suggested rethinking the popular notion of limiting dietary cholesterol in controlling blood cholesterol. On the contrary, in some people, foods with high cholesterol have been found to increase the level of cholesterol in the blood. A randomized control study enrolled 40 men aged 18 to 57 years and placed them on an egg-based diet. The study reported that some men with a certain genetic makeup had higher cholesterol levels than the others. The authors classified the former section of men as “hyperresponders” and came to the conclusion that additional cholesterol in the diet is not associated with an increased risk of developing arteriosclerosis in healthy men.
There is a lack of scientific evidence linking eggs to elevated cholesterol or an increased risk of heart disease. (Source: pixabay)
Dietary cholesterol and heart disease
Solid scientific evidence shows no link between dietary cholesterol and developing heart disease. Indeed, given this evidence, such as a comprehensive review of the Harvard Egg Study and other similar data, the widespread perception of dietary cholesterol consumption and an increased risk of heart disease seems exaggerated.
Eggs are the powerhouse of nutrition with all the essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. A large egg contains about 186 milligrams of cholesterol but only 1.56 grams of saturated fat. For decades, eggs have been excluded from a typical high-cholesterol diet due to their cholesterol content.
However, there is a lack of scientific evidence linking eggs to high cholesterol or an increased risk of heart disease. A prospective population-based study enrolled 1,032 men aged 42 to 60 years and assessed their food intake based on 4 days of food intake. The result showed that egg intake was not associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, even in 32.5 percent of ApoE4 carriers, who were very susceptible.
A very large set of data published by JAMA included 37,851 men between the ages of 40 and 75 years and 80,082 women between the ages of 34 and 59 years and assessed the association between the incidence of heart disease and egg consumption through a frequency of eating questionnaire. These data concluded that consuming up to 1 egg per day in healthy men and women is not associated with the risk of coronary artery disease or stroke.
On the contrary, several researchers found that eggs lower the risk of heart disease. A study by the British Medical Journal analyzed eight articles and found that consuming up to one egg per day was not associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease or stroke. In fact, people who ate an egg a day had a 25 percent lower risk of developing hemorrhagic stroke.
However, eating eggs can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who are already living with type 2 diabetes.
Now that we know that dietary cholesterol is not the culprit, as we’ve been told, understanding the risk factors for high blood cholesterol and how to naturally lower cholesterol is important.
Risk factors for cholesterol include lack of physical activity, being overweight or obese, smoking, consuming processed and junk foods, the presence of type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, or hypothyroidism.
How to Lower Cholesterol
Lifestyle changes have been shown to be the easiest way to lower cholesterol:
Losing extra weight is the first step. Research has found that losing just 5 to 10 percent of existing body weight is linked to lower cholesterol and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in obese people.
A wholesome, nutritious diet is critical to optimal health. Adding nuts, seeds, legumes, green leafy vegetables, beans, and fruits to your daily diet will keep blood cholesterol levels under control. High cholesterol foods like eggs, liver, shellfish are packed with important nutrients and should be included in the daily diet with caution to avoid them for people with diabetes. Personal consultation with a certified nutritionist is the best course of action to determine the frequency of food intake, the amount of each food, and the composition of the diet.
Watch out for trans fats. Almost all processed and highly processed foods such as pizza, cookies, crackers, instant noodles, french fries, and fried chicken are high in trans fats and increase the risk of heart disease, a leading cause of death worldwide.
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source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/11/guide-to-eat-right-cutting-through-the-cholesterol-confusion/
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