Monday, May 7, 2007

Advantages of low cholesterol diet

Heart disease is one of the most frequently seen conditions. A large number of people suffer of this condition because of the high blood cholesterol levels. It is true that there are many factors that help the accumulation of cholesterol, but the main cause remains the unhealthy diet. Diets that are rich in fat are believed to be the ones responsible of the increase of the blood cholesterol levels.
It is known that cholesterol is being produced by the liver and it is necessary inside the organism because of several reasons. Cholesterol has a very important role in cellular protection, in hormone production, vitamin synthesis and fat digestion. The human body needs a small amount of cholesterol in order to sustain its normal physiological activity and improper diet can enable the cholesterol to accumulate in excess. It is also known that cholesterol can not be dissolved by body fluids such as blood and it is difficult to eliminate. Because it is not soluble, cholesterol can deposit in different areas of the body blocking the main functions of the body. It can form a plague inside arteries by depositing on the inner arterial walls, causing blockage. In cases when cholesterol deposits inside the heart arteries there is a risk of developing heart disease.
Sufferers are advised to respect a diet and to do some exercise. Specialists agree that a healthy diet will help decrease the high levels of cholesterol. They recommend the consumption of low cholesterol foods and products that contain only unsaturated fat. You should try to avoid meats, eggs, diary products and sweets.
You should also replace the foods that contain high quantities of cholesterol and saturated fat. It is recommended to avoid carbohydrates because they increase body fat deposits and facilitate the accumulation of body cholesterol.
It is good to remember that only animal origin foods contain cholesterol. That is why vegetal foods are always recommended in low cholesterol diets. It is also known that low cholesterol foods contain unsaturated fat and as a conclusion we should agree that these foods are healthier.
Everyone agrees that keeping a diet of fruits and vegetables is almost impossible. To diversify your diet you are allowed to eat low cholesterol foods such as egg whites, lean meat, fish or chicken. Other low cholesterol foods that you are allowed are skim milk and low-fat yogurt.
It is also good to know that it is better to eat baked or boiled foods instead of fried foods. More than that, home foods are highly recommended.


by Groshan Fabiola

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