Why your cholesterol profile matters

Foods such as vegetables and fruits help in maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. PHOTO/NET

By Beatrice Nakibuuka


Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the cells of the body. It is manufactured by the liver and the body needs it for digestion, for the manufacture of hormones and vitamin D.

The body does not need a lot of cholesterol and an excess of it is taken from the blood back to the liver where it is broken down and then excreted. The body can manufacture its own cholesterol but it can also be made from the foods we eat.

According to Dr Felix Kiyimba, a general practitioner at Hoima Referral Hospital, all animal products such as meat, eggs butter, cheese bacon and full fat milk products provide the body with cholesterol but of the bad type (saturated fat). Sometimes, age and a family history can affect your cholesterol levels.

The bad cholesterol in the body clogs blood vessels which increases blood pressure and, in the long run, increases one’s risk of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.

For these reasons, Dr Kiyimba recommends that people maintain a low cholesterol profile if they want to prevent such diseases and complications that usually affect people in their later life. This can be done through lifestyle changes which include the following:

Reduce saturated and trans-fats
Animal products contain saturated fat which is a bad type of cholesterol that clogs blood vessels. The trans-fats are commonly found in fried foods. They are also found in some margarine and they are often labeled as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

According to Amanda Twebaze, a nutritionist, it is therefore very important to read the labels on most of the fat foods that you are purchasing. She recommends plain instead of sweetened yoghurt, fat free milk instead of whole milk, fully hydrogenated instead of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

“An intake of such fats should be reduced and replaced with plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and grains which do not have cholesterol if one wants to maintain a healthy profile of their cholesterol levels. These also make you feel satisfied for a longer time and also contain fibre,” she says.
Fibre and omega 3 fatty acids
Twebaze remarks that fibre rich foods such as vegetables, grains, fruits, legumes and cereals are helpful in maintaining a healthy cholesterol level because they reduce the absorption of cholesterol into the blood stream.
Fish, flax, sesame, sunflower seeds, nuts are very rich sources of the omega 3 fatty acid. This nutrient is very essential in reducing blood pressure thereby protecting the heart.
Quit smoking
Cigarettes may not contain any cholesterol according to Dr Kiyimba, but they can also increase a patient’s cholesterol-related risks. Quitting smoking is therefore essential in a healthy cholesterol level.
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