Sport *confused* Cholesterol Protein

[LadySanders]

Ok, I'm going to start all of my post with Confused.
How do I up the protein (via eggs???) without shooting the cholesterol through the roof. My grandma died from arterosclerosis, so I don't know if I should be taking in all that cholesterol.
I'm honestly in dummy mode with all this stuff.
I eat semi-healthy, semi vegetarian. hate grease. love butter
been told butter was bad. don't care still eat it
very confused
I went to daily plate to see what my breakfast/brunch came up to %240 cholesterol. isn't that a bad thing? I can't work that off can I?
Everything keeps saying eat eat eat :eating: protein protein protein
Ok how do I even this all out.
Lady S

 

[tjl]

Most people's blood cholesterol levels are not affected much by dietary cholesterol. However, some people are affected in this way. Unfortunately, there is no way to really know which group you are in other than experimentally (eat a low and high dietary cholesterol diets for periods before getting blood cholesterol tests).

Butter (and fat from other dairy products and red meat) contains a lot of saturated fat, which tends to raise the (bad) LDL levels, though it also raises the (good) HDL levels somewhat.

What you do want to avoid no matter what is anything with hydrogenated oils; the trans-fats from hydrogenated oils raise (bad) LDL levels while lowering (good) HDL levels.

Also, excess body fat tends to raise LDL, so if that applies to you, lose it.

 

[malkore]

Pretty much what tjl said. you need to have your own cholesterol checked since you have a possible family history of problems.

Most people aren't going to have problems with dietary intake. Plus eating leafy greens, whole grains (like oats) helps lower cholesterol, as does regular exercise.

 

[LadySanders]

OK, I think I got it...
So, the eggs are okay since dietary cholesterol is okay.
How do you get "blood cholesterol levels"? what is that.
I have no EXCESS fat on me I'm trying to gain weight.
but i don't want to die from eating too much fats and meats.
that's where the confusion starts.
will over eating high protein foods also increase things i don't need and clog my arteries... i'm just using eggs as the example because nothing else i ate had cholesterol except them, but they had the most protein as well...

Lady S

 

[tjl]

OK, I think I got it...
So, the eggs are okay since dietary cholesterol is okay.

For most people, but a minority of people are adversely affected by dietary cholesterol.

How do you get "blood cholesterol levels"? what is that.

You go to your primary physician for a checkup and get a sample of your blood drawn for typical tests including blood cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels (get your checkup and blood draw in the morning after an overnight fast; do not eat breakfast before the blood draw).

Basic blood analysis will give total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides, with LDL calculated as total - HDL - triglycerides / 5. If there is anything questionable, especially with family history, a more extensive analysis which does things like directly measure LDL, check LDL and HDL particle sizes, check Lp(a), etc. may be done.

Generally. for the purpose of avoiding atherosclerosis, you want high HDL, low LDL, low triglycerides, low Lp(a), large buoyant LDL, and large buoyant HDL. Also, blood sugar not in the diabetic or prediabetic range.

I have no EXCESS fat on me I'm trying to gain weight.
but i don't want to die from eating too much fats and meats.
that's where the confusion starts.
will over eating high protein foods also increase things i don't need and clog my arteries... i'm just using eggs as the example because nothing else i ate had cholesterol except them, but they had the most protein as well...

Protein by itself does not really affect blood cholesterol levels. Amount and type of dietary fats and carbohydrates, among other things, are what really affects them:

+HDL (good): exercise, small amounts of alcohol, saturated fat
-HDL (bad): body fat, large amounts of alcohol, trans-fats from hydrogenated oils, polyunsaturated fat
+LDL (bad): body fat, trans-fats from hydrogenated oils, saturated fat
-LDL (good): monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, some types of fiber (e.g. oats, fruit, beans)
+triglycerides (bad): body fat, sugar, alcohol
-triglycerides (good): fish fat with DHA and EPA

If you are concerned about blood cholesterol from types of fats, but want to increase calories, you may want to eat fish (including fatty fish), nuts, dried whole fruit, and avocados. Beans and oats may be useful also. If you tire of fish and beans for your protein, but are worried about other meat fat, you can add the leanest cuts of other meats, skim dairy products, and eggs (or egg whites if you happen to be in the minority of people affected by dietary cholesterol).

 

[Ride_On]

Polyunsatured fat decreases your HDL?

It was pretty much covered, but to the OP, for most people, eggs will actually lower your total cholesterol because while they raise your LDL, they raise your HDL even more, so the ratio actually improves your condition. However, you personally need to get your levels checked before you start and while you do this just to make sure it's not making it worse.

 

[malkore]

And this blood test from your doctor should only run around $30 depending on your insurance. I used to have to get a full lipid panel done every month when I was on Accutane, since its hard on the liver.

When my triglycerides went through the roof, they had to stop my treatment.

 

[tjl]

Polyunsatured fat decreases your HDL?

Some research studies have found that polyunsaturated fat lowers HDL by a small amount, though the effect is smaller than its lowering of LDL. Monounsaturated fat is usually considered more favorable because it lowers LDL but does not affect HDL much.

The following may be of interest with respect to dietary intakes and blood cholesterol / atherosclerosis risk: