We are obsessed with Cholesterol

         
            
We are still haunted by the' phantom' cholesterol.
That is why we eat only white of egg and throw away the yellow portion or give it to the made servant (good for her health)



Then we discovered a cooking oil 'zero' in cholesterol,and discarded our traditional cooking oils (mustard, coconut,groundnut oil) 

In fact, every cooking oil is 'zero' in cholesterol.

All plant foods are 'zero' in cholesterol.
All animal foods contain 'ready made' cholesterol

Liver in our body prepares cholesterol from saturated fats (butter, cheese ,cooking oil) and trans fats (fast foods) It means that saturated fats and trans fats increase blood cholesterol.  

But if we eat ready made cholesterol, there is no much rise in blood cholesterol. Thus the effect of egg yellow on blood cholesterol is minimal when compared with trans fats and saturated fats.

Look at the nutritious value of an egg:
.

Egg white:

Protein: 6 gm

The biological value of egg protein is superior to all animal and plant proteins

Egg yolk:

 very little saturated fat (1.5 grams)   

 Vitamin A (270 IU)

 Vitamin D (40 IU)

 Lutein (good for the eye)

 Choline (good for brain and nerves)

Cholesterol 186 mg

One egg has only 72 calories 

American heart association has stated that daily cholesterol intake up to 300 mg is safe.

One egg has only 186 mg


 Bottom line:

The relation between cholesterol and heart attack is controversial.

There are many risk factors for heart attack. We ignore them and are obsessed with only cholesterol.

Blood cholesterol increased due to

• saturated fats in cooking oils
• Trans fats (fast foods)

Egg yolk does not increase blood cholesterol

You can have one egg every day without feeling guilty
  

Garlic can reduce blood cholesterol

                          
Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor as a seasoning or condiment.It has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor

,In folklore, garlic has been regarded as a force for both good and evil. In Europe, many cultures have used garlic for protection or white magic

National Institute of Nutrition,Hyderabad has done research on garlic and discovered the following effects on the health

Improves immunity

Anti cancer

Reduces blood Cholesterol

Prevents formation of thrombus in the blood vessels

Cloves of garlic

The recommended dose is 5 cloves per day.

Crush them and then swallow. 

(An intact clove could be excreted as such in the stool) 

P.S

Before starting a statin for high blood cholesterol you can 

try 5 cloves of garlic every day for 2 months and find out if

there is reduction in blood cholesterol.


If yes, then continue to take it.

"Bad" cholesterol is not that "bad"

Now a days, every one knows about cholesterol and heart attack. People eat only white of egg and give the yellow part to maid servant (good for her health).

Then came the entry of 'zero' cholesterol cooking oils and people were impressed. They abandoned the traditional cooking oils in favor of these 'zero' cholesterol oils. 
  . 
In fact, every cooking oil is 'zero' in cholesterol.
Cooking oil comes from plants and plants do not know how to synthesize cholesterol.

Animals synthesize cholesterol and all the animal products have ready made cholesterol (milk,cream, egg,cheese, meat)




Every one knows about 'statins". Many adult males are taking statins for many years and never stop it.

We know that bad cholesterol should be less than 100 mg for protection from heart attack. After taking statins for many years, the 'bad' cholesterol level falls to around 45 -50 mg.which is very low. 

At this stage, it is wise to stop statin for 2- 3 months, and start it only if the cholesterol goes above 100. If it is still below 100, no need to start it again. You should be happy. But the patients are not ready for this. Once on a statin, you cannot stop it and nobody tells them to stop. 

A patient aged 90 years came to me for some minor illness. He is taking a statin for the last 25 years and does not want to stop it. He is still worried about a heart attack (at the age of 90) I said jokingly "look, now you will need some reason to die. Isn't it.  So stop the statin now"  He was not impressed. 

Bottom line:

Cholesterol is a risk factor, but it is not the only one..

There are many other risk factors like diet, lack of exercise, high BP, diabetes, and depression, We ignore them and
focus only on cholesterol.

Role of cholesterol in heart attack is still controversial

'zero' cholesterol oils

                                                 

 Sunflower and suffola oils are recommended by doctors because they are 'zero' cholesterol. But the truth is that all oils are 'zero' cholesterol. Every oil is a plant product and plants do not have capacity to produce cholesterol.

When this cooking oil is ingested, the body converts it into cholesterol. Thus the cooking oil is the raw material for the synthesis of cholesterol. Animals also do the same. 

Ready made cholesterol is present in animal products like milk,cream, ghee,egg yolk, meat.


Then how do we select our cooking oil?

It is on the basis of PUFA- 3 (omega -3) contents, which has many health benefits.

Here is a descending order of all cooking oils based on their contents of PUFA -3:(omega-3)

Mustard
Pure ghee
Coconut
soybean
Palm
Olive
Rice bran
Sesame
Groundnut
Corn
Sunflower
Suffola


Traditionally, different regions in India have a preference for a particular oil.
For example, coconut oil in Kerala, sesame oil in Tamilnadu, groundnut oil in Maharashtra and Gujarat. and mustard oil in UP and Bengal. 

Each oil has its characteristic flavor or aroma. If people are happy using coconut or sesame or groundnut oil,due to the flavor, then they should continue with it. You can use pure ghee also for cooking.(It ranks number 2 next to mustard oil) 

Nutritionally, mustard oil is the best and ideal oil. People say that it smells. But it is only while giving 'tadka'(seasoning) There is no smell to the food prepared in it. people will not know that it is prepared in mustard oil. 

How much oil?

You may choose any oil of your choice, but the quantity is very important.
It should be 5 teaspoons per person per day. 
Most of us do not use spoon (we just pour it).our spoons are also of different sizes.
When I ask a housewife "how much oil needed in your home per month?" She is not sure about it.

The oil consumption should be half liter per man per month.
For a family of 4 persons, it should be 2 liters per month.
If the cooking is done by the maid,and the housewife is working ,then there is no control over the quantity of oil.  

We should be aware that oil is a rich source of calories. One teaspoon of oil has 50 calories.When a diabetic patient is in the family, then the housewife should be particular of oil usage, because a diabetic has to control calories. We are not aware of the fact that cooking oil has calories.

Fats & cholesterol contents of various foods

                                                   Fats (Triglyceride)                         Cholesterol
                                     Gm/100gm                         mg/100g

Butter                               80                                250
Ghee                               100                               300
Milk (cow)                         4                                  14
Milk (buffalo)                     8                                  16
Milk (skimmed)                 0.1                                2
Egg (whole)                     11                                 400
Chicken (with skin)          18                                 100
Chicken (without skin)      4                                   60
Cheese                            25                                 100
Paneer                             15                                 20
Mutton                              13                                 65
pork                                  35                                 90
Beef                                  6                                   70
Organ meat
Brain                                 6                                   2000
Liver                                  9                                   300
Kidney                               2                                   370
Heart                                 5                                   150

Prawns                              2                                   150
Fish (lean)                         1.5                                 45
Fish (fatty)                          6                                   45     

Pure ghee has 300 mg of cholesterol per 100gm
Do not get scared by this figure. 300 mg are present in 100g
which means 20 teaspoons.   
   
Do we eat 20 spoons of ghee? we may eat at the most 2 spoons which contains only 30 mg of cholesterol.
It is good to have one or two teaspoons of ghee every day without feeling guilty.

An egg a day is not harmful

The concern about egg is due to its cholesterol content.One egg contains 300 mg of cholesterol. But heart disease is more likely to occur with saturated fats (butter),and trans fats, rather than cholesterol intake.

It is better to eat an egg rather than carbohydrate rich foods(poha, upma,pav bhaji). It will raise HDL cholesterol and decrease blood glucose.

However diabetics have more risk of heart disease with egg . Hence they should limit their egg intake.

This is about the adults. But children need good amount of proteins and egg is the best. Animal proteins are called First Class proteins because they have all the essential amino acids.
The quality or the biological value of protein from all food (animal and plant foods) has been studied:

Protein                      Biological value

Breast milk                    100
Egg                               100
Cow milk                        90
Fish                                80
Meat                               74

Rice                                80
Soybean                         78
Wheat                             66
Bengal gram(chole)        74
Groundnut                      55
Maize                              50


Why egg?

High biological value of protein

Low calories (70 calories per egg)

Cost effective

Meets the nutrient needs of children

High omega -3 contents

Cholesterol is not an issue in children


Nature's hygienic pack

But in our culture egg is not easily accepted. Many communities in India strictly avoid egg. If we tell them that egg has highest biological value, they are not impressed and not convinced with this scientific information.

There are many who avoid egg on certain days. "Today is thursday, hence I will not egg." If there was any logic behind this, we could have argued with that person. But this is beyond logic and hence we cannot convince that person.

I only advice these persons that they should not refuse the egg to their children,even on monday or thursday. Let them grow in a healthy way, especially the girls. Indian girls are under nourished and have low body weight. They are going to marry and get pregnant one day. Hence they should have normal body weight before they marry.  
  
But unfortunately Indian girls also have inhibition about egg.
This is partly due to the upbringing and religious atmosphere at home.
They need nutritional counseling.