It’s the other Big C that’s got us so worried it’s enough to give us a heart attack: Cholesterol, but of course! High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
So, what’s your cholesterol level?
Through the years, we’ve been fed with so many big fat lies about cholesterol. In a report put together by Dr. Angel Respicio Jr., nutrition adviser, The Sleeplab, Hawaii Medical Center-West, our resident nutritionist separates fat from fiction.
For starters, Dr. Respicio notes, “ The normal cholesterol level before 1984 was 150-280 mg./dL (per 100 ml. or cc. of blood). Around that time, popular cholesterol-lowering medications were introduced on the market. Since then, the desirable level of cholesterol has been lowered many times. Is it perhaps so that more people would qualify to take such medications?”
He adds, “But according to Dr. Mary G. Enig, ‘Slight risk for heart attack occurs in men with cholesterol level more than 350 mg./dL and in women with levels over 1,000 (Know Your Fats,2000).”
One of the vital functions of cholesterol is to act as an antioxidant, keeping cell membrane intact as part of the cell wall. One billion cells are replaced per hour.
It also boosts mental performance, builds strong bones (vitamin D is synthesized or manufactured from cholesterol), and protects against infectious diseases.
Eggsperts say that the incredible egg yolk provides the following: calcium, carotenes, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, panthotenic acid, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B 12, vitamins A, D, E, K, and healthy fats including omega-3 fatty acid (for a healthy heart), and the brain-boosting DHA and EPA.
According to Dr. David Kritchevsky, it is impossible to overeat cholesterol because the liver will adjust its daily production (biosynthetic capacity) based on your actual intake. The only bad cholesterol is oxidized cholesterol found in powdered milk, reduced-fat milk, and powdered eggs. The healthier natural cholesterol is in whole milk, breast milk, and egg yolk.
Fast fact on fat: Cholesterol is not a fat, it is a form of alcohol. It has no calories; therefore, it won’t make you fat.
Cholesterol is found only in animal tissues (not plants) as a component of cell walls or cell membranes. Lean meat is more compact and therefore has more cells. Believe it or not, there is more cholesterol in lean meat tissues than fat tissues, says Dr. Mary G. Enig.
The following nutrient-rich traditional fats have nourished healthy population groups for thousands of years: butter, beef, and lamb tallow lard (from pig fat), chicken, goose, and duck fat, coconut, palm and sesame oils, cold pressed (expeller pressed) olive oil, cold pressed flax oil, marine oils.
The following commercially processed oils have toxic chemicals produced when extracted using high heat and pressure and again when heated at home above 350oF (177oC):
• All hydrogenated oils (or trans fats like margarine and vegetable shortening).
• Vegetable oils: soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, and canola oil.
Some saturated fatty acids (coconut and palm kernel oil) are used by the body to fight viruses, bacteria, and protozoa — they support the immune system while trans fatty acids interfere with the function of the immune system.
A friendly warning: Manufacturers are allowed to put zero trans fat in food labels, if the trans fat level is less than 500 mg. per serving. To be safe, just avoid food with margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated oil.
By the way, Sky Flakes has partially hydrogenated oil, Doc Jun stresses.
And did you know that chicken fat is only about 30% saturated, lard 40%, and beef fat 46%? They have at least 40% monounsaturated fat (oleic acid) like the healthy olive oil. (Mary G. Enig PhD, Know Your Fats).
Cancer and red meat? Fat chance!
In its January 15, 2005 issue, The British Medical Journal reports, “Evidence grows that eating red meat increases cancer.”
Dr. Respicio elaborates, “Their definition of red meat unfortunately included — hold your breath now — bacon, sausage, hamburger, cheeseburger, meatloaf, or casserole with minced beef, beef steak, beef roast, beef stew, pot pie, liver, pork, hotdog, ham, bologna, salami, and luncheon meat. Only God knows which of the above could have caused cancer. It could be the preservatives, food coloring, processed fats, etc. and not red meat per se. If it is true that red meat eaters increase their risk of colorectal cancer, why is it that people who eat nothing but red meat like the Canadian Inuit, American Indians, hunters, as well as the Masai tribes of Kenya did not suffer any forms of cancer at all? Natural, grass-fed animal however is healthier.”
Here are the compounds in processed foods that can cause cancer: Trans fatty acids (partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, margarine, vegetable shortening), rancid fat, excessive use of omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils (like canola, corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils), artificial flavorings and food color, MSG (vetsin or monosodium glutamate, pesticides, hormones, refined carbohydrates (sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour), and aspartame.
(To be continued)