Have You Heard the News? Cholesterol is No Longer a “Nutrient of Concern”
By Britni Thomas, RD, LD
February 12, 2015
Nutritional Weight & Wellness is very happy that the nation’s top nutrition advisory panel has decided to drop its warning about eating high cholesterol food. This is a big change, because since 1961 it has been recommended to avoid foods containing cholesterol.
At Nutritional Weight & Wellness, we have never been concerned about the cholesterol in foods affecting heart health. Current research shows that cholesterol found in food doesn’t increase cholesterol in the blood stream. The liver is what produces most of the cholesterol in our bodies and dietary cholesterol only accounts for about 20 percent.
Often, we recommend eggs as a good protein source—the yolks and all. As nutritionists, we refer to the yolks as “liquid gold” because they contain 13 health boosting nutrients, plus they taste great! Not all fats are created equal though. Trans fats and refined oils (canola, soybean, corn, and cottonseed) should always be avoided, because these are the kinds of fats that do increase our risk of heart disease. Foods that trans fats are commonly found in are: margarine, many coffee creamers and commercial baked goods. Refined oils are found in most processed foods—always read the ingredient list!
Stay tuned,…I have a great blog post coming up next week with more information about heart health and cholesterol.
