Cholesterol

2021-06-07 #health

I have heard of “saturated fat”, “unsaturated fat”, “high-density lipoprotein” (HDL), and “low-density lipoprotein” (LDL) many times, but have never known or cared which are good and which are bad. I thought my exercise habit could burn everything and I could eat anything without much concern.

In a recent annual physical exam, my LDL (bad cholesterol) was 107 mg/dL, higher than the suggested maximum of 100 mg/dL. The doctor said that high LDL is caused by diet.

Even though the level isn’t much above the limit, it’s still cause for concern. I googled those terms above to learn about them. In short, trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol increase LDL.

After that, I acquired the superpower to see through the amount of “cholesterol” and “saturated fat” in foods. Before, I spread a big block of butter on bread. Now, plain bread just works. Before, I drank whole milk like regular milk. Now, I reduce my whole milk intake.