To lower cholesterol, it’s frequently recommended to limit egg intake, specifically the egg yolk. Egg yolks are a concentrated source of cholesterol, while egg whites contain primarily protein. However, while dietary cholesterol can impact cholesterol levels within the body, saturated fat actually has a greater impact on LDL cholesterol levels.
A 1999 study found little impact of consuming one egg daily on blood cholesterol levels. It’s currently recommended, for individuals with normal cholesterol levels, to limit dietary cholesterol intake to 300 mg or less daily. Cholesterol in egg – One egg contains 210 mg of cholesterol within the egg yolk. If you have high LDL cholesterol, the current recommendations are to limit dietary cholesterol to 200 mg or less per day.
If you enjoy eggs, there are alternatives, such as replacing the egg yolks with more egg whites or using products, such as Egg Beaters, which provide an excellent source of protein minus the cholesterol.
Increasing the amount of omega-3 fats in our diet and decreasing the amount of omega-6 is beneficial in reducing your risk for heart disease. Most American’s consume a high omega-6 diet, with omega 3 being a common deficiency. Omega 3 deficiencies and the imbalance between omega 3 and omega 6 intakes have been linked with serious conditions, including heart attacks. Successfully maintaining a ratio of 4:1 to 1:1 omega 6 to omega 3 will help lower cholesterol levels and control high blood pressure.
Now, how much omega 3 do you need to add?
This is under debate and more research is being done. Right now the range experts recommend is from 500-2000 mg/day. Here are the current American Heart Association (AHA) recommendations.
The AHA recommends that individuals without heart disease eat a variety of fish twice a week, use heart healthy oils (flaxseed, canola, soybean oils), and consume flaxseed and walnuts.
For individuals with heart disease, the AHA recommends 1 g of EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) + DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) daily, preferably from fatty fish.
The AHA recommends 2 to 4 g of EPA + DHA daily, under physician’s care only, for individuals that need to lower triglycerides. High doses, > 3 grams/day, can result in excessive bleeding. (Do not self medicate! Talk to your MD before supplementing greater than 2 grams.)
Now, there’s a reason I included details on amounts of ALA, DHA and EPA for each omega 3 source. Right now, DHA and EPA have a greater link with lower cholesterol levels, lower triglycerides, and higher HDL levels than ALA. The body is able to convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but the conversion rate is low; therefore, it is best to include high DHA and EPA sources in your eating plan.
My recommendation:
As a preventive measure and to promote lower cholesterol and blood pressure control, I recommend eating fish twice a week, select a supplement that will provide you at least 1000 mg of omega 3 fatty acids daily (choose a good source of DHA and EPA), and use ground flaxseed when appropriate in your meal preparation.
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
Some studies are being conducted evaluating the effects of low carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, on cognitive ability. Brain function on a low carb diet may be impaired because glucose is the nutrient used by the brain for energy and the brain is not capable of storing glucose, but is depended on the bodies production of this nutrient.
Many low carb diets restrict intake to as little as 20 grams per day, while the RDA for carbs is at least 130 grams (taking into account the brains energy needs).
One study compared long and short term memory, spatial memory, and visual attention of women prior to beginning a low carb diet, post low carb diet, and after reintroduction of carbs. Those following a low carb diet had a gradual decline in memory performance and slower reaction time on all tests. Interestingly, attention span was improved on the low carb diet.
Fortunately, memory skills and scores returned to normal after carbohydrates were reintroduced.
Stevia has been approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) as “generally recognized as safe”, meaning it can be marketed as a dietary supplement and added to food and drink products.
Stevia is using the label “natural” since it’s derived from the leaf of the stevia plant. This may be hard to accept due to the “bad rap” many artificial sweeteners have. Currently there are 5 artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA – aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal), saccharin (Sweet’N Low), acesulfame-K (Sunett, Sweet One), neotame (made by NutraSweet), and sucralose (Splenda). Even though these sweeteners have received FDA approval, many question the safety and research studies are ongoing.
On the plus side for Stevia, it actually comes from a plant versus a lab. Stevia is a highly refined part of the plant called rebiana or Reb-A. This is the sweetest, purest part of the plant. A company out of Malaysia, PureCircle, claims to be the world’s largest supplier of Reb-A and has worked with a Swiss company to make the bitter, licorice flavor more palatable.
Regardless, we’ll soon be presented with many products containing Stevia in the near future. PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are launching new lines of stevia sweetened products along with producers of other food products, including baked goods and breakfast cereals.
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Do you have high cholesterol? Increase your fiber!
Do you have high blood pressure? Increase your fiber!
Are you overweight? Increase your fiber!
What is it with fiber (also known as roughage)? It seems to play a role in just about all our health problems. Well, as far as blood pressure and cholesterol go, dietary fiber binds to cholesterol in circulation and helps remove it from the body. Research has shown that for every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%.
On the weight control side of things, a high fiber diet plan increases satiety (how full you feel), aiding efforts to lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight.
4 Things You Need to Know to Use Dietary Fiber to Lower Cholesterol:
1. There are two types of fiber.
Fiber Insoluble
Insoluble fiber remains relatively intact as it passes through the digestive system. The primary function of insoluble fiber is to move waste through the intestines and maintain intestinal acid balance.
Fiber Soluble
Soluble fiber is the type of fiber responsible for lowering total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
2. Sources of insoluble fiber
Fruit skins and root vegetable skins
Vegetables (green beans, celery, cauliflower, zucchini, beets, turnips, potato skins, and dark green leafy vegetables)
Wheat and whole-wheat products
Wheat oats
Corn bran
Seeds and nuts
Shoot for 25-35 grams of dietary fiber everyday. Of this fiber, soluble fiber should make up 15 grams. The average US dietary fiber intake is 12-18 grams/day.
If your current diet is very low in dietary fiber, don’t increase to 35 grams overnight. A sudden increase will result in gastrointestinal (stomach) distress and unpleasant side effects (flatulence and diarrhea). You want to increase your fiber intake gradually.
Bottom Line:
Select high fiber foods, especially foods that contain soluble fiber. I once heard a gastroenterologist say he would be out of a job if everyone just ate more beans!
February is American Heart Month. In recognition of American Heart Month you can access Heart Health Made Easy at a 25% savings. Learn more about this take action guide to lower cholesterol and blood pressure at http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com.
