Fatty Food and Cholesterol
Is all fat bad for you? Well - there are differsnt types of fatin the food we eat.
SATURATED FATS: are found mainly in animal and dairy products like butter, ghee, lard, cheese, full-fat milk and cream.
Saturated fats are converted by our bodies into cholesterol so I will try and reduce these . I already use semi skimmed milk and vey little butter. Cheese is one of may favourite fillings for a sandwich - so maybe I will have to cut down on that.
Trans fats are solid fats found in biscuits, cakes, pastries and fast food.
Scientists think that your body deals with these fats in the same way as saturated fats. So, if I want to lower my cholesterol I will have to cut out those biscuits with the cup of tea .
UNSATURATED FATS include polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.
POLYUNSATURATED FATS are found in many vegetable margarines and oils. They lower the ‘BAD’ LDL-cholesterol, but they can, if intake is high, also lower the ‘GOOD’ HDL-cholesterol.
MONOUNSATURATED FATS lower ‘BAD’ cholesterol without lowering ‘GOOD’ cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like olive oil, avocados, rapeseed and ground nut oils. If I am frying or roasting anthing I always use olive oil - so there isn’t much I can do there - unless I drink the stuff!
Apparently foods containing actual cholesterol such as shellfish, eggs and liver do not make much difference to your blood cholesterol as long as they are eaten in sensible amounts. I might eat one egg a week and have liver 2 or 3 times a year - so I’m OK with those I think.