coronary arteries are blocked. A stroke occurs if
arteries carrying blood to the brain are blocked.
Researchers believe that HDL works opposite
LDL. HDL picks up cholesterol off the walls of the
arteries and takes it back to the liver where it can be
broken down and removed. This helps to keep the blood
vessels open. Cholesterol can be measured by a simple
blood test. To reduce the riskof cardiovascular disease,
adults should keep their LDL cholesterol below 160 mg/
dL and their HDL cholesterol above 40 mg/dL
Cholesterol is a necessary and important part of
cell membranes. It also is converted into some types of
steroid (sex) hormones. Cholesterol comes from two
sources. The liver makes all the cholesterol the body
needs from other nutrients. However, other animals
also make cholesterol. When humans eat animal prod-
ucts, they take in more cholesterol. Cholesterol is
found only in foods from animals, never in plant
foods. The foods highest in cholesterol are organ
meats such as liver, egg yolk (but not egg whites),
whole-fat dairy products (butter, ice cream, whole
milk), and marbled red meat. To reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease, adults should keep their con-
sumption of cholesterol below 300 mg daily. In 2007,
the average American man ate 337 mg of cholesterol
daily and the average woman ate 217 mg.
Cholesterol and fats
There are three types offatsin food. Saturated fats
are animal fats such as butter, the fats in milk and cream,
bacon fat, the fat under the skin of chickens, lard, or
the fat a piece of prime rib of beef. These fats are usually
solid at room temperature and they are considered ‘‘bad’’
fats because they raise LDL cholesterol.
Unsaturated fats can be monounsaturated or pol-
yunsaturated (This refers to one aspect of their chem-
ical structure.) Monounsaturated fats are ‘‘good’’ fats
that help lower cholesterol levels. Olive oil, canola oil,
and peanut oil are high in monounsaturated fats. Corn
oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil are
high in polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats are
not bad, they just are not as good as monounsaturated
fats. Fish oils that are high inomega-3 fatty acidsare
polyunsaturated and are very beneficial in preventing
heart disease.
Transfat is made by a manufacturing process that
creates hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vege-
table oils.Transfat acts like saturated fat, raising the
level of LDL cholesterol. It is found in some margar-
ines and in many commercially baked and fried foods.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends
that no more than 30% of an individual’s daily calo-
ries should come from fat, no more than 10% of
calories should come from saturated fat, and people
should consume as littletransfat as possible.Managing a low cholesterol dietPeople who need to reduce their cholesterol level
can get help by reading food labels. Food labels are
required to list in the nutrition information panel
nutrition facts that include calories, calories from fat,
total fat, saturated fat,transfat, cholesterol,sodium,
totalcarbohydrates, dietaryfiber, sugars,protein,
vitamin A,vitamin C,calcium, andiron. In addition,
the following words have specific legal meanings on
food labels.
Cholesterol-free: Less than 2 mg of cholesterol and
2 g of saturated fat per serving.
Low cholesterol: no more than 20 mg of cholesterol
and 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.
The home cook can also reduce cholesterol in the
diet in the following ways:
Choose lean cuts of meat. Select USDA graded cuts
of beef and lamb marked Choice and Select. These
cuts are leaner and less expensive than Prime.
Bake or broil meats on a rack set in a pan, so that
the fat can drip off.
Refrigerate homemade soups and stews, then skim
the solidified fat off the top before serving.KEY TERMS
Dietary fiber—also known as roughage or bulk.
Insoluble fiber moves through the digestive system
almost undigested and gives bulk to stools. Soluble
fiber dissolves in water and helps keep stools soft.
Fatty acids—complex molecules found in fats and
oils. Essential fatty acids are fatty acids that the
body needs but cannot synthesize. Essential fatty
acids are made by plants and must be present in the
diet to maintain health.
Hormone—a chemical messenger that is produced
by one type of cell and travels through the blood-
stream to change the metabolism of a different type
of cell
Steroid—A family of compounds that share a sim-
ilar chemical structure. This family includes the
estrogen and testosterone, vitamin D, cholesterol,
and the drugs cortisone and prendisone.Low-cholesterol diet