There is always talk about cholesterol, lipids, and “good” vs “bad” … but what’s what? Cholesterol and fat are things that most thought were always unhealthy, but research has shown that there are different types, some that increase the risk of heart disease and some that are protective. To check your risk of heart disease, your doctor may order a lipid profile test. This checks the levels of at least four lipid — fat — components in your blood:

Total cholesterol: This is the total amount of cholesterol floating in your bloodstream, some of which may offer protection against heart disease, and some of which may increase your risk. Your total cholesterol level should be less than 200 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter).

LDL cholesterol: LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, usually labeled “bad,” tends to adhere to the inside of blood vessel walls, building up blockages that can cause a heart attack. You want your LDL level to be low — ideally, less than 100 mg/dl, according to the American Heart Association. Between 100 and 129 is considered “near optimal,” 130 to 159 is considered “borderline high,” 160 to 189 is considered “high,” and 190 and above is considered “very high.”

HDL cholesterol: This type of cholesterol is the one many people think of as “good” cholesterol. Instead of sticking to the lining of blood vessels, HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol) is brought to the liver to be removed from the body — so it reduces your risk of heart disease. You want your HDL level to be high — at least 60 mg/dl or higher. A low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dl for men; less than 50 mg/dl for women) increases the risk of heart disease.

Triglycerides: These fats are also included in a lipid profile. Although it’s not clear whether high triglyceride levels are a risk factor for heart disease by themselves, they usually go hand in hand with other risk factors, such as high total cholesterol or low HDL. If you are obese, inactive, drink a lot of alcohol, or follow a diet very high in carbohydrates, you may have high triglycerides. Your triglyceride level should be less than 150 mg/dl.

Have you gotten a lipid profile report? If not, make an appointment with your Doctor within the next seven days and commit to getting one. If you’ve already gotten the results and your lipid profile is good, that’s excellent, but it doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want! You need to continue eating healthfully so those lipid levels can stay great!

Worried about your cholesterol? You may need to cut back on your sugar intake, a new study suggests. For years, medical experts have said that to reduce your cardiovascular disease risk, you need to watch your consumption of saturated (animal) fat and cholesterol. They also have known that high intake of added sugars is linked to many poor health conditions, including obesity, high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

But this is one of the first studies to take a close look at the association between added sugars and cholesterol in adults.

Researchers at Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta examined the added sugar intake and blood fat levels in more than 6,100 adults.

 Added sugars included table sugar, brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, brown rice syrup, agave syrup and other caloric sweeteners in prepared and processed foods — for instance, in soft drinks, iced tea, candy, pastries, cookies and canned fruits. Not included: the sugars in fruit, 100% juice and other whole foods.

•Participants consumed an average of 21.4 teaspoons of added sugars a day, or more than 320 calories a day from these sources.

• About 16% of participants’ total daily caloric intake was from added sugars. That compares with 11% in 1977-78.

•People with the higher intakes of added sugars were more likely to have lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides (blood fats). 

“We need to get used to consuming foods and drinks that are less sweet,” says senior author Miriam Vos, an assistant professor at Emory. “People have been so focused on fat that we haven’t been focused on sugar, and it’s gotten away from us. This data show we can’t let either one or the other get too high.”

The American Heart Association says most women should consume no more than 100 calories, or 6½ teaspoons, a day from added sugars. Most men should consume no more than 150 calories or 9½ teaspoons a day from added sugars.

 “Our data strongly support these guidelines,” Vos says.

 Rachel Johnson, a nutrition professor at the University of Vermont and lead author of the heart association statement on sugar, says this study reinforces the fact that people need to pay closer attention to their intake of added sugars.

 If you’re looking for ways to cut back, then skip sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, lemonade and sweetened tea, Vos says. They’re the No. 1 source of added sugars.

1. Less is More
Ask any of our Duxbury Personal Trainers and they will tell you that cholesterol comes from animal products, including meat and eggs; however, if you simply cannot imagine a vegetarian lifestyle, you can still lower the cholesterol content of meals by learning to properly prepare eggs and select low cholesterol meats. Try to limit as much red and dark meat as possible, choosing the leanest cuts of meat that you can find. Organ meats, such as brain, liver and kidneys, should be avoided entirely, as they are highest in cholesterol. Additionally, substituting red and dark meats with white poultry meat or fish is a great way to lower cholesterol in entrees. Finally, eggs are a big cholesterol myth, but their cholesterol content is all in the yoke. In the majority of recipes which call for eggs, you can separate the yolks from the whites, keeping the protein and tossing the cholesterol.

2. Methods Make the Difference
Bake, steam or broil, but don’t fry. If you must add oils when cooking, choose cold pressed vegetable oils, such as olive oil, sunflower or safflower oil which not only help to lower cholesterol while cooking, they may actually help to reduce cholesterol in your blood. When cooking meats, always cut off as much fat as you can. As for skins, they can left on to keep the meat moist, but should be removed before eating.

3. Very Vegetable
Make vegetables your entree and meats your side. Limiting your meat and dairy portions and increasing your portions of vegetables not only helps to limit cholesterol in a diet, it also increases the nutrient content of each meal, ensuring that you get all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Remember, instead of boiling or frying your veggies, steam them, leaving the peels on whenever possible.

4. Grains are Great
Whole grains should be a regular food staple in your daily diet, as they help you to feel full, are fiber-rich to aid in digestion and elimination and they help to absorb fat in your blood. Pastas and breads should always be whole wheat, as processed and refined flours can actually harm your health. Oatmeal, bran and wheat germ are more fantastic grains that can help to balance your diet.

5. The Price of Packaging
Refined animal fats are the most common means of keeping packed foods tasty, meaning almost anything found in a package will contain some amount of cholesterol. Try to keep prepare meals from fresh, unpacked foods, always reading labels carefully if you must go with a bagged or boxed food.