Eating Better

The Basics: Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found only in animal food. It is tasteless, odorless, and transparent liquid that feels oily when you touch it.

Any type of plant-based food (fruits, vegetable, beans, or nuts) will not contain cholesterol: only animals can produce it. Although it is warned that high blood cholesterol puts us at risk for heart disease and that we monitor the cholesterol in our diet, the majority (two-thirds) of the cholesterol found in our blood is from our liver. The rest (a third) does come from what we eat. Still, we discovered recently that if you eat less, your liver might adjust and produce more cholesterol. So, what can you do to lower your blood cholesterol level? The best way is to eat less saturated and trans fat.

In short, the cholesterol found in your blood comes from 2 sources:

FIRST SOURCE: Liver – Two-thirds of the cholesterol available to the body.

SECOND SOURCE: A third of the cholesterol comes from foods, like meat, egg yolk, and dairy products.

Cholesterol is found in every cell of your body (in cell membranes, your brain, and nerves) and is needed to produce estrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D. It cannot be used for energy (so it provides no calories).

Bottom line, dietary cholesterol is not the devil we’ve been told it is. If you’re looking to lower your blood cholesterol level, eat less saturated and trans fat.

The Basics: Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are substances inside all foods that we need in small amounts to regulate all the body’s chemical reactions for optimizing our energy, day after day. There are 13 vitamins and 17 essential minerals:

4 fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) 9 water soluble vitamins (C and eight B-complex vitamins) Minerals: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, zinc, fluoride, iron, iodine, selenium, and copper, among others.

You do not need to worry about lacking vitamins and minerals if you eat a varied, balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, meat, nuts, and cereals (bread, rice or pasta). In the winter however, when exposure to sunlight is low, you might need a supplement of vitamin D if you don’t eat foods with added vitamin D (e.g., milk) (vegetarians are at risk of this). This is because vitamin D is produced in your skin upon exposure to sunlight. Watch out, though: supplementing with too much vitamin D can be toxic. If you think you may be eating insufficient vitamin D, we recommend you consult your doctor or registered dietitian.

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