All About Cholesterol and Fats

It is very important that you always remember that cholesterol is not really a fat. However, whenever you discuss about cholesterol it is important to discuss about fat as well since certain types of fat in the diet can actually cause your body to make even more cholesterol. Both heart and blood vessels are affected by a heavy amount of fat in the bloodstream.

The circulating fat in the bloodstream is also known as the serum triglyceride level, and it also is a way to measure it. High blood pressure, diabetes, low HDL cholesterol levels and being overweight are just some risk factors that may occur in people with elevated triglyceride levels. The bottom line is rather simple in this case: elevated triglyceride levels confer an increased risk of cardiovascular disease as do high cholesterol levels.

In our diet there are four known types of fats: there are the saturated fats, the monounsaturated fats, the polyunsaturated fats (the two in the end are actually two types of unsaturated fats) and a fourth category of fats which is known by several names such as trans fats, partially hydrogenated fats and hydrogenated fats. Still, all fats contain nine calories per gram therefore they are equally fattening.

Why is it so important to know about all these different types of fat? Well, the answer is rather easy actually - since there are two kinds of fat that cause the liver to make even more cholesterol than it already does, it is important to know more exactly which one are they, how they work in order to avoid them or at least limit their intake.

Saturated fats and trans fats are generally fats that make the liver produce more cholesterol. An increased risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease has been shown in people that eat diets high in saturated and trans fats. This is one of the reasons for which you should carefully watch your diet and the amounts of saturated and trans fats that are included in it. Still, you should keep a close watch on the cholesterol intake as well.

Red meat, tropical oils (palm and coconut) or full fat dairy products are some of the greatest sources for saturated fats. Trans fats occur rarely in nature, so most of the trans fats that are out there are actually produced artificially through the help of chemical treatments (hydrogenation). Vegetable shortening or in tub margarine are oils turned into a semisolid state through the help of trans fats. Trans fats can be found in foods such as baked goods, snack foods and fried foods.

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