Blood Fats - Cholesterol and Triglycerides
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat found in our blood, produced naturally by the liver and present in some animal-based foods like meat, eggs, and milk. While dietary cholesterol was once thought to have a significant impact on blood cholesterol levels, we now know that for most people it has a very small effect. The amount of cholesterol in our blood can be affected by many factors including; genetics, diet, activity and other lifestyle factors.
There are two types of cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
- LDL is often described as "lousy/bad" cholesterol, we need a small amount but when levels are elevated, it can lead to plaque buildup in arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
- HDL, or "healthy/good" cholesterol, helps remove excess LDL from the blood, transporting it to the liver for elimination. Having higher levels can reduce the risk of plaque build up
What are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are another type of fat found in the blood. Our body uses them for energy, however higher levels over time lead to the hardening of your arteries or thickening of the artery walls, which could lead to heart disease, a heart attack or a stroke.
High triglycerides can be caused by a diet higher in sugar or alcohol. They can also be raised by carrying extra weight, having diabetes or due to genetics.
Targets:
Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels are measured through a blood test and some people may be given individualized targets by their doctor. An easy way to think about cholesterol targets is that we aim for the levels of LDL to be low and HDL to be high.
Your doctor may recommend statins if your LDL cholesterol is 5 mmol/L or above or if you have diabetes and you are over 40 or had diabetes for more than 15 years.
Triglyceride levels are considered normal when they are less than 1.6mmol/L, they are considered elevated when they are between 1.6 - 5.6 mmol/l and very high when they are over 5.6mmol/L
How to lower your blood fats:
- Reduce Saturated Fats: Keeping saturated fats to less than 10% of our total calorie intake can help to lower LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature and they are found in fatty meats (beef, pork), high-fat dairy (cream, butter), tropical oils (coconut and palm oil), baked goods (cookies, pastries), and many processed foods.
- Avoid Trans Fats: these are no longer added to products in Canada but can be found in fried foods along with higher levels of saturated fats.
- Increase Soluble Fiber: Aim for at least 7 grams daily as research shows that it can help reduce LDL cholesterol. Foods high in soluble fiber include oatmeal, fruit, beans, lentils, barley, and psyllium.
- Minimize Restaurant Meals: These tend to be higher in fat, salt, and sugar.
- Cook at Home: Home-cooked meals are usually lower in salt and fat. If you are struggling with time or recipes, speak to your CH dietitian for more ideas!
- Include Plant-Based Proteins: Such as tofu, beans, lentils, and nuts. These protein sources are low in saturated fats and are often a good source of fiber. .
- Adjust your Cooking Methods: Such as steaming, baking, or air frying instead of frying.
- Limit alcohol: to learn more about alcohol guidelines click this link.
- Reduce your intake of added sugars: Guidance is to keep sugar intake to less than 10% of total daily calories and ideally less than 5%. For someone eating an average of 1500 calories, 10% would equate to 38g/ 9.5tsp sugar and 5% would equate to 19g/ 5tsp sugar.
- Stop Smoking.
- Weight loss: even 5% of total weight can reduce LDL cholesterol.
- Increase Physical Activity: Aim for 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity weekly, plus muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week. Remember that all movement counts!
Statins
Your doctor may prescribe statins to lower cholesterol and prevent plaque buildup in your arteries, reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke.These medications can reduce cholesterol by up to 30 - 50%. Common statins in Canada include Crestor and Lipitor. While effective, statins take time to reduce plaque, and their benefits diminish if you stop taking them, so your doctor may continue your prescription even after cholesterol levels normalize.
If you are on Lipitor, Zocor, or Mevacor, avoid grapefruit, as it interacts with the medication. There may be other medications that interfere with statins, speak to your doctor/healthcare provider to find out more.
If you would like to learn more about lifestyle strategies and cholesterol levels or if you want to experiment with making any changes please reach out to your Constant Health dietitian. We are here to help!
References
Managing Cholesterol - Heart and Stroke Foundation
Body Measurements Guide - Alberta Health Services
Psyllium Products & Blood Cholesterol Lowering - Health Canada
Facts on Soluble Fibre - Unlock Food
Statins Medication - Heart and Stroke Foundation