Facts about cholesterol

Is the cholesterol in egg yolks the "good" or "bad" kind? Can you "burn" cholesterol by exercising? Which has more cholesterol, a tablespoon of butter or a cup of peanut butter?

Most people know that fat is bad for them, but many are also confused about how cholesterol differs from fats. The fat issue is actually the most clearly defined topic in nutrition. Many people in the UK would benefit from cutting the fat in their diet. They need to do it now and for the rest of their lives, for the sake of their hearts, health and waistlines.

The facts about cholesterol

Can you burn off cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of lipid, just as fats are. However, unlike fat, cholesterol can't be exercised off, sweated out or burned for energy. It is found only in animal products, including meat, chicken, fish, eggs, organ meats and high-fat dairy products.

Is Cholesterol Good or Bad?

Just as homemade oil-and-vinegar dressing separates into a watery pool with a fat-slick topping, so would fats and cholesterol if they were dumped directly into the blood. To solve this dilemma, the body transports fat and cholesterol by coating them with a water-soluble "bubble" of protein. This protein-fat bubble is called a lipoprotein.

• Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) carry cholesterol to the tissues. This is "bad" cholesterol, since high LDL levels are linked to increased risk of heart disease.
• High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) carry excess cholesterol back to the liver, which processes and excretes the cholesterol. HDLs are "good" cholesterol; the more HDL you have, the lower your risk of developing heart disease.
• HDLs and LDLs are found only in your blood, not in food.

Test your cholesterol

Your risk of heart disease can be assessed with a blood-cholesterol test. In this test, your total-cholesterol reading should approximate the sum of your LDL, HDL and other lipoproteins. If you have 3.5 mg of total cholesterol, or less, for every 1 mg of HDLs, then your cholesterol ratio is ideal. According to guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Programme in the US:

• Total cholesterol should remain below 200 mg/dL, unless HDL is high.
• LDL should be lower than 130 mg/dL.
• HDL should be 40 mg/dl or higher.

However, if you have any risk factors for heart disease, you'll want to get your LDL even lower - less than 100 is optimal.

The fat primer

The fats that supply calories, float in your blood and accumulate in your thighs and hips are called "triglycerides." They can be saturated or unsaturated, and the unsaturated ones can be either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. For every ounce of triglycerides you eat, you add 250 calories (or 9 calories per gram - the weight of a raisin) to your diet. Only saturated fats increase blood levels of cholesterol and heart-disease risk.