The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Start Learning the Basics of Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream. Our bodies use cholesterol to form cell membranes, some hormones and other tissues.

Cholesterol is made in the liver. Actually, the liver produces all of the cholesterol we need to survive. How much cholesterol your body makes depends on your age, family history or genetics. Because exercise increases your levels of HDL (or “good” cholesterol), an active lifestyle can help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels, too. The additional cholesterol we get is from our diet when we eat animal foods like meats, whole milk dairy foods, egg yolks, poultry and fish. Plants don’t produce cholesterol.

Too much cholesterol is bad because it can cause damage to the inner linings of arteries when too much builds up. This is especially dangerous if there are other negative forces at work such as smoking and diabetes. These factors (smoking and diabetes) can cause a domino effect, exacerbating trauma to the arterial wall. Once that happens, it can lead to further accumulation of cholesterol and plaque buildup and narrowing of the arteries, which may lead to a heart attack.

HDL and LDL - There Is a Difference

Cholesterol can’t dissolve in the bloodstream, so it depends on two things to carry it to where it needs to go. High-density lipoproteins (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, act as scavengers removing “bad” cholesterol from the body.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, carry cholesterol throughout the body. Too much LDL in the blood causes cholesterol to build up along arterial walls, forming plaque that can block arteries. When you have your cholesterol checked at the doctor’s office, they are looking at these (HDL and LDL) levels as well as your triglyceride levels.

Plant Sterols and Plant Stanols to the Rescue

Plant sterols and stanols (they are also called phytosterols and phytostanols) are lipid-like (fat-like) compounds found in grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables that have been studied since the ‘50s and proven for their cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Plant sterols and stanols look like cholesterol. So, they work by blocking receptor sites for cholesterol, connecting to cholesterol in the intestine and preventing it from being absorbed. This results in lowering the LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Unfortunately, we simply can’t get enough plant sterols and stanols in our daily diets to make an impact on our cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that we would have to eat 1-2 grams of plant sterols and stanols a day – that is a lot (see chart below*). That’s why a supplement containing plant sterols and stanols is so terrific.

How Much Is Enough?

Source: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl