Cholesterol is needed for life. With all of the things we are told about what is necessary to live a healthy life, how do we know what is true and what isn’t? How can we tell a myth from the truth?
You may think you know everything there is about cholesterol, but we have a few surprises coming your way:
1. Americans Have The Highest Cholesterol In The World
OK, so we all know that Americans could use a good workout or two. But when it comes to cholesterol levels, we are placed in the middle of the grid rather than leading the pack.
People view us as the “fat American” with a Big Mac in our hand, but U.S. men rank 83rd in the world in average total cholesterol and U.S. women 81st, according to the World Health Organization.
2. Kids Can’t Have High Cholesterol
Many people associate cholesterol with the older generation, but the fact is that children are just as at risk for having high cholesterol as adults are.
Kids who have high cholesterol should be on a diet that restricts saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, according to the guidelines.
3. Eggs Are Evil
It is true that eggs are high in dietary cholesterol, with upwards of 200 mg, mainly in the yolk.
However, research shows that eating three or more eggs a day boosts blood concentrations of both good and bad cholesterol. Eggs are not the devil.
4. Food Is Heart-Healthy If It Says “0 mg Cholesterol”
You can’t always rely on nutrition labels. The Cholesterol portion of the nutritional label refers to dietary cholesterol, which is only one of the things found in food that can cause your cholesterol to go sky-high.
The bigger contributor to elevated cholesterol is a high-fat diet.
5. Cholesterol Is Always A Bad Thing
When people think about cholesterol, they automatically think “bad.”
High cholesterol can be dangerous, but cholesterol itself is essential to various bodily processes, from insulating nerve cells in the brain to providing structure for cell membranes.
Share your thoughts about cholesterol on Facebook and Twitter: @LucilleRoberts
