When we think of health - the first thing that comes to mind is a healthy heart! Always curious to know which oil is recommended to protect your heart?

Learn all about what is blood cholesterol, 'good' and 'bad' cholesterols, how diet directly impacts your blood cholesterol levels and why exercise is important if you want to be 'young' at heart. Keep your family healthy by understanding which foods are heart-healthy and which ones aren't. Go ahead and get a he artful!

Expert Articles

Cholesterol Balancing Act

While striving to accomplish our big dreams in corporate park we rely on everything big that we eat especially in fast food chains. We thereby slowly clogging our arteries with unnecessary fats and cholesterol that our small feast size stomach do not actually need and cannot use.

The result, is of course a society that is pestered with different kinds of cholesterol complications such heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and overweight problems.

Indeed, keeping cholesterol levels under control will enhance overall health, and prolong ones quality of life.

So what can we do to lower your cholesterol levels? The truly effective way is a combination of regular exercise and proper diet.

It's not just about counting cholesterol and saturated fat from diet that determines cholesterol levels, but quality of foods that we choose to eat.

Following guidelines can help you to control blood cholesterol level:

  • Include more vegetables, as they are low in fat and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals which go out in a long way to help reduce LDL, the bad cholesterol levels.
  • Use saffola cholesterol management atta mix enriched with functional foods is easiest way to manage blood cholesterol level.
  • Use skimmed milk to drink and in recipes that use whole milk or cream.
  • Lean chicken, bony fish and egg whites can be choices for non vegetarians.
  • Use herbs and spices instead of butter or other fats to season foods. Use fruits to replace high fat dessert items.
  • Have a tablespoon of flax seeds, saunf, husk after each meal.
  • Roast, bake, broil, poach, or grill meats. Allow fat to drip off the meat.
  • Include foods rich in taurine and omega 3 fatty acids (e.g., cold water fish), monounsaturated fats (e.g., Olive oil, avocado, walnuts and almonds) and the allium family of vegetables (e.g., garlic, onions) can also be helpful.

Instead of just rely on medications, you should consume super Nutrients to lower cholesterol

  • Soluble fibres which u can get from Oats, psyllium, apples, kidney beans, pears and barley lower the bad Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol without lowering the good High Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol.
  • Fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. At least 2 servings of fish a week, particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout and herring is good way to lower cholesterol and enjoy taste of seafood as well.
  • Whenever you feel hungry, just grab a handful of nuts like Almonds, peanuts, pistachios and walnuts. They rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. These tasty snacks can alternative for munching chips and biscuits.
  • Limit your intake to 1.5 ounces a day, as nuts are high in calories.
  • Since soy products contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low levels of saturated fat, they are healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fat and total fat.

Complement this healthy diet with physical activity for 30 minutes at least 5 days in a week and resistance training 2 days a week

The quality of life depends on what we eat and the way we lead our lives. So friends, if you don't want to be a fatty, watch out your fat!

Being healthy does not always need to eliminate your favorite foods. The most crucial component of diet which is the root cause of most of the ailments, about which we are often misinformed and the one that needs alteration in terms of quality and quality is the fat in the diet. Fats are often considered unhealthy, but problem is not that serious as market put it forward.

You just learn how to cut back on the amount of fat, choose foods with right fat and prepare meals with little or not added oil. Fat is associated with obesity issue and heart disease but it never considered essential. Does anyone know absorption Vitamins A, D, E and K is aided by dietary fats. Your body needs essential fatty acids to function properly.

But yes, eating large amounts of high-fat foods adds excess calories, which can lead to weight gain and obesity. But it is not necessary that you completely eliminate all fats from your meals. Rather, be sure to choose the best types and enjoy them in moderation.

Understanding types of fats available in the market:

Fat is of three types, viz., Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and Saturated Fats. A proper balance in the three keeps heart diseases and obesity at bay.

According to the National Institute of Nutrition, the recommended visible fat intake per day is 20-25g per person. The safflower, sunflower oil, Corn and soybean oil have higher ratios of PUFA.

In Indian diets, PUFA come from cereal intake, hence, oil having higher ratio of MUFA Groundnut oil, Rice bran oil, Canola oil, Olive oil should be used for cooking.

Marine fish oils often given as supplements containing the long chain omega-3 fatty acids have received considerable attention for their potential role in prevention of coronary artery disease.

Palm and coconut oil can also be used in some amounts. The saturated fat comes from meat and dairy products like ghee, butter, cream.

Margarines are all made by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils which increases the saturation component of the fat. This is high in trans fat and is used in all bakery products. Substantial evidence now indicates that trans fatty acids may raise LDL cholesterol and reduce HDL cholesterol as much as saturated fatty acids do.

Get smarter than claims:

Cooking Oil market confuses people by awarding their products with terms like “Fat Free”, “Fat Less” and “Light oil”. Do these terms mean to be same or company wants to say unique features of their product. Have look below,

Fat Free meant to be Less than 0.5g of fat per serving. Low states 3g or less per serving, or per 50g of the food. Reduced/Less fat is at least 25% less per serving than reference food. Oil is Light/Lite if less than 50% of calories are from fat.

Be fat choosy:

  • Avoid using cooking oils that are high in saturated fats and trans fats Instead, use oils that are low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
  • Minimize using commercially packaged foods which are high in trans fats. Always read labels to look for trans-fat free alternatives.
  • Use low fat dairy such as 1% or skim milk instead of whole milk. Trim visible fats and skins from meat products.

The bottom line is to replace bad fats with good fats in our diet.

  • I am vegetarian, how come this cholesterol came from?
  • I use vegetarian butter and fry food in cholesterol free oil then how come my triglycerides levels have increased.
  • I have been reading about cholesterol, now what about this new Trans fat? Is this bad for me?

With increasing number of lifestyle diseases and increasing awareness about diet and diseases, it is very important to get the correct information at the right time. Let us clear out all your doubt regarding fats that are harmful for heart.

Trans fat also referred to as trans-fatty acids, trans fat comes from adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation. This makes the fat more solid and less likely to spoil. Hydrogenated fat is a common ingredient in commercial baked goods such as crackers, cookies and cakes and in fried foods, such as doughnuts and french fries. Shortenings and some margarine also are high in trans fat. Make it a point over here that butter made from vegetarian source can not be without hydrogenation.

Trans fatty acids turn out to increase total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels, and to reduce HDL cholesterol levels are detrimental to cardiac health.

Your body naturally manufactures all of the cholesterol it needs, but you also get dietary cholesterol from animal products, such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products and lard.

Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs and seafood. Some plant foods are also high in saturated fats such as coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Butter, as an animal fat, contains both saturated fats and cholesterol – the two dietary ingredients that increase blood cholesterol. Saturated fats can raise LDL cholesterol (also known as "bad" cholesterol), which raises total blood cholesterol as well.

After experiencing sensitive pain in heart, you have been told that you have a high cholesterol diet and that lowering your dietary cholesterol is important. .

But there are again questions in your mind for yourself:.

Limit These Nutrients

The above table shows you some key nutrients that impact on your health. They are identified in yellow as Limit these Nutrients. Eating too much fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, like heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure.

Even if a food label states 0 mg cholesterol, it doesn't transform that food into a health food. It means that the non vegetarian fats has been replaced by another kind of fats may be hydrogenated vegetarian fats which may not be more beneficial.

Tips for lowering harmful fats:

  • Choose liquid vegetable oils
  • Reduce intake of commercially prepared baked goods, snacks, and processed foods including fast foods.
  • In restaurants, one strategy is to avoid deep-fried foods, since many restaurants continue to use partially hydrogenated oils in their fryers.
It is advised that people replace trans fats in their diet with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fatty acids which help lower blood cholesterol levels. This can be achieved by eating less high fat processed foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables.

Fibre - A Must

When any food item labeled as “Digestive”, what does it really mean?

It means the food is rich or supplemented with dietary fibre.

Whole grain foods and fiber supplements are key ingredients to reduce blood cholesterol.

There are broadly two categories of fibre and we need to eat both in our daily diets:

Soluble fibre includes pectins, gums and mucilage, which are found mainly in plant cells. One of its major roles is to lower blood cholesterol levels. Good sources of soluble fibre include fruits, vegetables, oat bran, barley, seed husks, flaxseed, psyllium, dried beans, lentils, peas, soymilk and soy products. It can also help with constipation.

Insoluble fibre includes cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, which make up the structural parts of plant cell walls. One of its major roles is to add bulk to faeces, and prevent constipation. Good sources include wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, the skins of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried beans and wholegrain foods. Both types of fibre are beneficial to the body and most plant foods contain a mixture of both types.

How much fibre do we need?

An adults should consume approximately 30g daily and a child should eat atleast 10 or 5g of fibre, respectively.

Why Fibre?

Good for the prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD)

The evidence that fibre protects you from heart disease is strong. Various studies revealed a strong link between consumption of fibre and protection against CHD. Fibre in vegetables, fruits and cereals was associated with a 55% reduction in risk of fatal CHD, but cereal fibre was most strongly protective. There was a 29% lower risk of CHD for each additional 10g cereal fibre eaten daily.

Lowering blood cholesterol

A scientific review concluded that comparable cholesterol lowering can be achieved with daily consumption of 6-40g pectin, 8-36g gums (e.g. guar gum), 100-150g dried beans/legumes, 25-100g oat bran and barley bran (contain b-glucan) or 10-30g psyllium. LDL cholesterol can be reduced by 5-10%. This indigestible part or compound of the plant binds with blood cholesterol and passes it out of body. This mechanism thus helpful in lowering blood cholesterol.

How can you increase fibre intake

  • Consume whole grains like wheat, wheat flour (unsieved), brown rice, jowar, bajra nachani rather than refined maida and its products like bread, buns, khari, cookies etc.
  • Eat whole pulses, sprouts, and dals with skin rather than dals with out skin.
  • Eat 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables daily in the form of salads, whole fruits, vegetable juices / soups (unsieved) and cooked vegetables. One serving corresponds to 50 – 75 gms of fruits/ vegetables.
  • Have a tablespoon of flax seeds, saunf, husk after each meal.
  • Other food groups such as non-vegetarian food items, milk and milk products, fats, oils and sugar do not contain any fiber.

Dietary Fibre thus helps to clear out cholesterol traffic from arteries.

FAQs

Many doubts and queries in mind then just simply go through these FAQ and be free from it.

1. Why should I eat heart healthy food?

What you eat affects your risk for having heart disease and poor blood circulation, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Excessive consumption of saturated fatty substance leads to plaque builds up in the arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Over time, this buildup causes the arteries to narrow and harden. When this happens, the heart does not get all the blood it needs to work properly. The result can be chest pain or a heart attack.

Hence heart healthy eating which mainly composed of complex cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetable, skimmed milk and lean portions of non vegetarian foods along with adequate amount of vegetarian oil helps to control bad fats from your body.

2. What foods should I eat to help prevent heart disease and stroke?

You should eat mainly:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Grains at least half of your grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat, whole oats, oatmeal, brown rice, wild rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, buckwheat, millet.
  • Fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, and other milk products
  • Fish, skinless poultry, lean meats, dry beans, eggs, and nuts
  • Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats - found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils

Also, you should limit the amount of foods you eat that contain:

  • Saturated fat found in foods such as fatty cuts of meat, whole milk, cheese made from whole milk, ice cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt, butter, cakes, cookies, mayonnaise, coconut, palm oil
  • Trans fat found mainly in processed foods such as cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, margarine, potato chips, corn chips
  • Cholesterol found in foods such as liver, pork, sausage, and saturated fats found in whole milk, cheese made from whole milk, ice cream, frozen yogurt
  • sodium found in salt and baking soda
  • Added sugars such as corn syrup, corn sweetener, fructose, glucose, sucrose, dextrose, lactose, maltose, honey, molasses, raw sugar, invert sugar, malt syrup, syrup, caramel, and fruit juice concentrates

3. What is a calorie?

When talking about a calorie in food, it is a measure of the energy that the food supplies to your body. When talking about burning calories during physical activity, a calorie is a measure of the energy used by your body. To maintain the same body weight, the number of food calories you eat during the day should be about the same as the number of calories your body uses.

The number of calories you should eat each day depends on your age, sex, body size, how physically active you are, and other conditions.

4. I've heard that eating fish is good for my heart. Why is that?

Fish contain a type of fat called omega-3 fatty acids. Eating omega-3 fatty acids lowers your chances of dying from heart disease. Fish that naturally contain more oil such as salmon, trout, herring, mackerel, and sardines have more omega-3 fatty acids. You can also get omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources, such as:

  • canola oil
  • soybean oil
  • walnuts
  • ground flaxseed (linseed) and flaxseed oil

5. Is drinking alcohol bad for my heart?

Alcohol gives empty calories. Drinking too much alcohol can, over time, damage your heart and raise your blood pressure. If you drink alcohol, you should do so moderately.

6. What are the precautionary measure I can take so as to reduce my risk of heart disease?

To reduce your risk of heart disease:

  • Quit smoking.
  • Get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity each week. Lose weight if you are overweight, and keep a healthy weight.
  • Get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels checked regularly.

Myths & Facts

A confused mind with confused possible answers then just go below and find the true answers and facts in managing your cholesterol.

Cholesterol is Dangerous.

When most people hear "cholesterol" they think "bad. High cholesterol can be dangerous, but cholesterol itself is essential for various bodily processes, from insulating nerve cells in the brain to providing structure for cell membranes Cholesterol is carried through the bloodstream by low-density and high-density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL). LDL, known as bad cholesterol, and not the cholesterol it carries per se, is responsible for atherosclerosis.

Heart-healthy foods say "0 mg cholesterol"

Dietary cholesterol is present only in foods of animal origin. Therefore most vegetarian products can be labeled as ‘Zero cholesterol’. However, vegetarian fats are more dangerous to heart due to their content of trans fats (found in vanaspati, margarine) and saturated fats (found in Palm oil, Ghee, butter, cheese, paneer). They have a far greater impact on low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called bad cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis, than dietary cholesterol.

Hence people should see labeling of Total Fats and Saturated fats along with that of total cholesterol.

Kids can't suffer from problems such as high blood cholesterol

Research has shown that atherosclerosis the narrowing of the arteries that leads to heart attacks can start as early as age eight. Children who are overweight, have hypertension, or have a family history of heart disease have to test their cholesterol as young as two years of age.

Children with high cholesterol should be on a diet that restricts saturated fat to 7% of calories and no more than 200 mg per day of dietary cholesterol, according to the guidelines. Fiber supplements and more exercise are also recommended.

Nuts are fattening and Heart patient should not eat them.

One handful nuts a day can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. Though nuts are high in calories and fat, they are also good sources of protein, dietary fiber, and minerals.

Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy.

Whole milk contains saturated fats. Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs. They offer protein to build muscles and help organs work properly, and calcium to strengthen bones. Most milks and some yogurts are fortified with vitamin D to help your body use calcium.

Low-fat and fat-free (Skimmed) milk, yogurt, and cheese are just as nutritious as whole milk dairy products, but they are lower in fat and calories. Hence to get benefited with dairy nutrition, prefer both low fat or fat free milk and milk products.

Heredity is the biggest risk for heart disease.

While it's true that people whose parents had heart disease are more likely to develop it than those who don't have a family history of it, the American Heart Association (AHA) says that every lifestyle factor--physical inactivity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking increases your heart disease risk exponentially. The bottom line: The more factors you can take control of, the more impact you'll have on lowering your risk of heart disease.

Controlling blood Cholesterol can only be done by expensive drugs.

Medication is only one option in cholesterol management and may be necessary for those with very high cholesterol. Changing your lifestyle by adapting healthy eating habits and increasing physical activity is first and the most common step to lowering cholesterol.

Do's & Dont's

Improving your eating pattern by simply brushing through the below tips will help you in managing your cholesterol.

Do's

  • Use as little fat as possible to cook vegetables and grain products.
  • Choose skim or low fat milk, fat-free or low fat yogurt, and low fat cheese
  • Replace saturated fats with healthier ones.
  • Eat more of soluble fibers.
  • Exercise regularly as it helps to lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels.
  • Always keep your weight in check.

DONT'S

  • Intake of high-fat processed meats such as sausages, salami, and other cold cuts
  • Cut back on fried and junk food, both of which are high in saturated fats
  • Consume foods high in cholesterol which include liver and other organ meats, egg yolk, shell fish.
  • Ignorance towards regular cholesterol monitoring.
  • Negligence towards the prescribed medications.

Tips

Cholesterol is not a life taking disease if diagnosed and care is provided at the initial stage.
Here are a few steps to be kept in mind to overcome the disease.

  • Eat a variety of wholegrain products. Replace white bread, white rice, and cereals made with white flour with whole-wheat bread, long-grain rice, and whole-grain cereals.
  • Include variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and veggies are a good source of soluble fiber, which help in HDL increase.
  • Eat a diet low in saturated fat, especially animal fats and palm and coconut oils.
  • Substitute animal fats with vegetable oil.
  • Omega 3 fatty acids and soluble fiber consistently lowers serum triglycerides and may also have an effect on lowering blood pressure. It is found in oily fish such as salmon, tuna and in Flaxseeds but is also available as a supplement.
  • Restrict fried foods and replace them with baked, steamed, boiled, broiled, or micro waved foods.
  • Excessive body weight reduces the HDL levels, therefore lose extra pounds
  • Avoid smoking, as it helps to a great extent.
  • Alcohol intake, in moderation helps in the protection of the arteries from plaque and also increases the HDL levels.
  • Exercise regularly.