Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (Fall 1999)

What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance, but it is not a fat. It's used to make many compounds that are vital to the body, including hormones and cell membranes.

Where do we get cholesterol?
Cholesterol is made in our liver and also comes from the animal-based foods we eat. There is no cholesterol in plant foods.

What are HDL, LDL and total cholesterol?
Cholesterol is transported in the blood by carrier particles. The two major types of blood cholesterol carriers are HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol). In general, it is desirable to have a total cholesterol under 200, with HDL levels of 45 or more and LDL levels under 130. Another number you may have heard is trigylcerides. This blood fat is not technically cholesterol, but it is also an important number in determining your risk for heart disease.

What factors help raise blood cholesterol levels?
Diet is the most controllable factor, but obesity, lack of exercise and certain inherited tendencies also play a part.

Soluble fiber
 Helps lower total and LDL cholesterol by binding to cholesterol in the intestine and excreting it out.

Fruits and vegetables
High fiber content helps with cholesterol excretion. Fruits and veggies also have many heart protective factors, including antioxidents, vitamins and protective phytochemicals.

Monounsaturated fats
Help lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and may raise HDL levels.

Omega-3 fatty acids
May raise HDL levels and lower triglycerides in addition to having other cardiovascular benefits.

How about eating foods high in cholesterol?
We’ve long been told that the cholesterol we eat goes right to our hearts. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that for most people, the amount of cholesterol eaten has little bearing on blood cholesterol.
The real culprit is saturated fat, which stimulates the body to increase its own production of cholesterol. The best way to reduce blood cholesterol is to reduce intake of saturated and trans fats.

Saturated fats are found in animal-based foods. Trans fats (hydrogenated oils such as margarine and shortening) are man-made saturated fats. Watch out for both saturated and trans fats in packaged baked goods such as crackers and cookies.

So eggs are OK?
Several large recent studies, including one from Harvard, have reported no relationship between egg intake and heart disease, except in people with diabetes.

Especially interesting are the new Gold Circle Farm eggs produced by Omega Tech of Boulder. These eggs contain an Omega-3 fatty acid called DHA (also found in salmon) that is considered a heart-protective food.

What about the new cholesterol-lowering spreads?
Two new, cholesterol-lowering margarines hit the supermarket shelves this spring—Benecol™ and Take Control.™ Both contain plant-derived compounds that inhibit absorption of cholesterol in the intestinal tract and both have been shown to lower cholesterol levels—Benecol by as much as 14 percent; Take Control by up to 10 percent.

They appear to be safe, though the studies thus far have been small. One concern the studies haven’t examined is what happens to people who exceed the recommended daily amount, either because they think it will lower their cholesterol even more or because they run out of other margarine.

Remember, using one of these spreads does not cancel out the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. Eating a healthy diet, reducing stress and getting enough exercise are still the first lines of defense against heart disease.

And, of course, it is always a good idea to check with your doctor before deciding to use these margarines, especially if you are already on medication for high cholesterol.