Excess saturated fatty acids prevent the purification of cholesterol from the liver. This excess facilitates the growth of Ldl (bad) cholesterol. Saturated fats are found in general in: fatty meats, butter, fatty cheeses, and full fat dairy products. It is therefore primary to limit these foods but not to eliminate them entirely. This should not be new facts to you.
On the other hand, good ability saturated fats are like "stainless steel". These saturated fatty acids have chemical bonds stability and are not actually attacked by free radicals. Therefore it is not advisable to unnecessarily limit your intake of good ability saturated fatty acids. The secret, as usual, is moderation. If you are vegetarian, I would suggest you to consume the fat from coconut: freshly grated, coconut milk or coconut oil. In fact the fatty acids in coconut fats are medium chain saturated fatty acids. Even though they remain for a while in your arteries, they do not raise your Ldl (bad) cholesterol rate.
The kind of fats found in poultry and seed oils (olives, nuts, avocados...) are called mono-unsaturated fatty acids and oxidize slightly. They do have a favorable role on lowering Ldl (bad) cholesterol. But the intake of saturated fats to protect cholesterol from oxidation is still essential.
Omega 3 fatty acids also protect against oxidation of cholesterol. They are found in general in fish (especially fish with blue flesh as sardines and mackerel as well as line-caught salmon), some seeds (flax and chia seeds) and nuts (walnuts). I suggest you consume fish at least 2 to 3 times a week.
Should we replace ability butter with margarine?
Many studies have shown that this substitution led to an growth in myocardial infarction. Margarine contains a type of fatty acids called "trans" created by the hydrogenation process to turn these ordinarily liquid fats into solid fats. Unfortunately, these fatty acids have been found to promote the cholesterol oxidation, which as you know now is detrimental to your heart health. There are now safer margarines available for consumption that do not consist of trans fatty acids and are fortified with omega3 acids. If your doctor advises you to eat margarine, I'd rather you eat this new type, non-hydrogenated.
Are margarines that decrease the absorption of cholesterol good for health?
These margarines consist of plant sterols (plant extracts that limit the absorption of cholesterol). Note that these margarines are rich in linoleic acid (Omega 6) and low in alpha linolenic acid (Omega 3) which contributes to the omega 3 to omega 6 imbalances I mentioned above. If you feel you must eat these margarines, make sure to consume plenty of fish or grapeseed oil at the same time. Otherwise, they will not be good for your arteries. On the contrary!
Are lean-fat foods recommended? (Milk, cheese, yogurt, cakes, ice cream...)
It is true that they contribute you with less saturated fat. But they are not tasty, far less tasty than the full fat version. In my opinion, you'd be better off to eat a small piece of real, tasty cheese, than a big chunk of common cheese. Don't you agree? As I said before, moderation and ability is better than volume and poor quality.
Caution: Some low-fat diet products may consist of too much sugar, but sugar promotes obesity more effortlessly than fat food!
Can you eat dark chocolate if you have high cholesterol?
Yes, but in small quantities
- Cocoa butter has a similar composition than lard, but its saturated fat is not absorbed by your body!
- Eating dark chocolate gives you the same health results as if you consumed olive oil, but beware, this is only true with chocolates containing vegetable fats. Make sure the label states "this chocolate contains only cocoa butter without other added fat! " Most of processed chocolate are made with hydrogenated fats to sell out their price. These are the kind of fats that will damage your arteries.
- Finally, dark chocolate (70% cocoa content or higher) contains a high estimate of protective antioxidants.
So, the ideal distribution of discrete fats in the diet for an adult should be:
- Saturated fat: 30% or 15-20 grams per day
- Monounsaturated fat: 60% or 35 to 40 grams per day
- Polyunsaturated fat: 10% ( 7-10 grams per day) and/or a composition of 5% linoleic acid (3-5 grams per day), 5% alpha linolenic acid (5- 6 grams/day), 2 % (2 grams/day) fatty fish.
But don't bother to count these fats distribution. You will find this ideal distribution in the Cretan cuisine and Mediterranean French cuisine.
How to verily protect Your Heart With Mediterranean Food