For adults, there are healthy ranges for LDL, HDL, and Total Cholesterol. Normal total cholesterol levels range between 125-200 mg/dL.
For adult male, you have normal LDL levels if your LDL falls below 100mg/dL and for this same category of males, their HDL levels would be normal if it is at least 40mg/dL. For women, the normal HDL levels are at least 50mg/dL.
Type of Cholesterol | Healthy Level |
---|---|
Total Cholesterol | 125 to 200mg/dL |
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) | Less than 100mg/dL |
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) | Men: 40mg/dL or higher |
Women: 50mg/dL or higher |
Indeed, your diet significantly alters your cholesterol levels. Precisely, an unhealthy consumption of fat will not doubt amplify your susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases. Care to know how? I will tell you.
How Fat and Cholesterol in Food Affect Blood Cholesterol Levels
Your cholesterol levels are not unrelated to the types of fat you consume. Basically, there are four types of fats in the foods we eat.
These are Polyunsaturated fats, Saturated fats, Trans-fats, and Monounsaturated fats. Sounds interesting? Wait till I tell you more about each fat type.
1. Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)
These are the healthiest types of fat you can eat as they can’t be produced in the body. PUFAs can be further categorized into Omega-3 PUFAs and Omega 6 PUFAs.
- Omega-3 PUFAs are commonly sourced from Seafood like Mackerel and its other Oily Aquatic Cousins like Salmon and Herring.
- Vegetarian? No problem! Omega-3 PUFAs can still be sourced from plant sources like Flax seeds, Canola, Chia, Walnut Oil, and Soybean. Omega-6 PUFAs can be sourced from Corn Oils, Sunflower, and Safflower.
Omega-6 PUFAs help raise HDL (Good Cholesterol) levels while slashing LDL (Bad Cholesterol) levels. Omega-3 PUFAs reduce Triglyceride Levels.
2. Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are sourced from animal products like Cheese, Butter, and Meat. At room temperature, saturated fats are solid.
Depending on the source, the effect of Saturated fats on your Cholesterol levels varies. Specifically, while Saturated fats, as found in Dairy Products and Red Meat, have shown promise in increasing HDL and LDL, Saturated fats, as found in Cocoa Butter and Beef, don’t have significant effects on LDL HDL cholesterol.