It seems that there’s always a new diet or nutrition craze coming out nearly every week. One week you’re told to eat this food, and the next you’re told it’s bad for you. For a long time it was all about low fat and low calories, but then you were told it’s really more about eating clean. As part of these changing trends, you probably thought you knew everything about cholesterol in your diet—but now all of those claims may be taken back and a new stance may be taken.
It’s hard to keep up, but for many of us cholesterol was the one constant that we worked at limiting in our diet. So when recent claims came out from the government and health officials to say that cholesterol may not actually be as harmful as once thought, it blew our minds. So many of us worked to limit our cholesterol or to really watch it in everything that we ate, and therefore any change in this couldn’t possibly be true—or could it?
While the conflicting information is still being debated, it has caused many of us to take a long hard look at what we eat or what we limit. If you think about cholesterol in this capacity, it’s really about balance and ensuring that you focus on the right foods. Though some foods may not pose the threat that we once thought, others are still not a good idea. If you still feel unsure, here’s what you need to know in terms of cholesterol and why this factors into your health so greatly.
Too much “bad cholesterol” can harm your health: Yes there still is such a thing as bad cholesterol. Just like there is good fat and bad fat, the same holds true for cholesterol. You need to be careful and mindful not to eat the wrong type in the way of fatty foods that are void of nutritional value in any capacity. If the food is fried or full of fats with no substance, then it’s more than likely a source of bad cholesterol as well. Being in control of this and knowing what foods are off limits is all part of the equation.
Yes you can have eggs, but you need to watch it with fatty foods: This is by far the biggest distinction in recent findings about cholesterol, and what people are paying attention to. It used to be that eggs were absolutely off limits as it was believed that there was far too much harmful cholesterol in the eggs. It has now been found that eating eggs in moderation may be perfectly fine. You may enjoy an egg per day in many instance, but you still need to stay away from the trans fats and fatty foods that do nothing but hurt you—those foods are problematic in terms of cholesterol and so many other issues as well.
High cholesterol over time can lead to significant health problems, so prevention is key: It’s important to note that you still must be in control of your cholesterol levels. Too high of a cholesterol level over time can lead to heart disease and so many other health problems. So though you may be able to enjoy certain foods such as eggs by these new guidelines, you still need to be mindful of your overall levels. If you find that you are still suffering from an escalated level, then you may need to go back to the old way of eating or even take medication.
Eating a well balanced diet rich in nutrients will help you in many ways: In the end when you think about cholesterol or any other aspect of healthy eating, it’s ultimately about balance. Eating a diet rich in lean proteins including eggs in moderation, fruits and vegetables, good fats, whole grains, and low fat dairy will help you with every aspect of your health. When you think about managing your cholesterol problems, much of it boils down to eating the right foods—and yes if you can remember that there is bad cholesterol just like bad fat and therefore avoid it then you’ll be in much better shape for it!
