High cholesterol is a common health issue that affects many people around the world. Bad cholesterol or LDL (low density lipoprotein) can cause plaque buildup in the arteries, leading to various heart and vascular diseases. While there are multiple factors that can contribute to high cholesterol, unhealthy eating habits remain one of the biggest culprits. In this article, we will explore 7 common eating habits that can contribute to high cholesterol levels and provide tips on how to break these habits to maintain a healthy heart.
A sedentary lifestyle combined with unhealthy eating habits can lead to disaster for your health. Consuming salty snacks and sugary treats even in small quantities every time your craving strikes can put you at risk for raised bad cholesterol levels. Emerging evidence shows that sitting all day without exercise and consuming fatty foods can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver, and many other deadly lifestyle diseases. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, it has become a norm for people to opt for packaged foods that can be cooked easily. Unhealthy eating in between meals also contributes to increased cholesterol levels.
Not all cholesterol is bad, and in fact, it is essential for our body to function well. Having healthy amounts of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol is important in decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, an excess of bad cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides with low HDL or high LDL can increase the risk of health problems like atherosclerosis, other metabolic diseases, and even heart attack. Therefore, it’s important to be cautious while indulging in fatty foods, as their excess consumption can cause many lifestyle diseases.
Clinical nutritionist Avantii Deshpande shares a list of seven bad eating habits that can increase LDL cholesterol:
1. Consuming bakery goods: Biscuits, cakes, pastries, puffs, cream rolls, etc., are prepared using vegetable fat, i.e., vanaspati or margarine, which are high in trans fats, increasing bad cholesterol.
2. Eating processed meats: All frozen meats like sausages, salami, burger patties, bacon, etc., are preserved by smoking, salting, curing, or adding chemical preservatives, making them not only high in bad cholesterol but also carcinogenic. It is best to avoid these completely.
3. Having fast food as snacks: Indian fast foods, like pav bhaji, samosa, bhature, and western ones like pizza, burgers, etc., are high in LDL cholesterol. It’s the use of ingredients that makes them high in saturated fats, and the use of stale ingredients, reheated oil for frying, high fat and high carb ingredients, and low fiber ones that make them harmful – not just in increasing cholesterol but also causing obesity, diabetes, and PCOS.
4. Consuming less fruits and vegetables in the diet: Fruits and vegetables have high fiber which helps us to reduce the LDL cholesterol and increase the HDL cholesterol. Along with this, they are also rich in phytonutrients that have antioxidant properties and remove toxins from the body and cleanse vital organs like the liver, intestine, and kidney. Make sure you include five servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
5. Eating foods low in soluble fiber: Soluble fiber draws water from the gut, softening stools and binding with cholesterol to remove it from the body. Oats, peas, apples, guava, carrots, and citrus fruits are rich in soluble fiber. Make sure to include these in your diet.
6. Indulging in processed foods: Any food that is available in packets and has a longer shelf life has undergone processing to improve its shelf life. These foods are known to increase bad cholesterol if the processing and packing conditions are not standard operating processes or follow any certifications like HACCP. Make sure you are vigilant while picking such processed foods and use them as little as possible.
7. Having high sugar foods and desserts: Packaged fruit juices, products having high fructose corn syrup, staples like white bread, or even desserts are sometimes not high in fat but in sugar. These sugars are converted to fat in the body, increasing bad cholesterol.
In conclusion, it is important to be aware of these bad eating habits and to make dietary adjustments to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. A healthy diet, physical activity, and a balance between work and life will go a long way in maintaining your health.
In conclusion, it’s clear that our eating habits have a significant impact on our cholesterol levels, and ultimately, our overall health. It’s important to be mindful of our food choices and avoid these 7 unhealthy eating habits that can raise bad cholesterol levels. By making conscious decisions and opting for healthier alternatives, we can take control of our health and reduce our risk of heart disease and other health complications. So, let’s prioritize our health and make the necessary changes for a better tomorrow.
