What is cholesterol and should we eliminate it from our diet?
Cholesterol is a fat chemical that is produced by the cells of the body, especially in the liver. The body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, especially sex hormones, vitamin D, bile and other activities. Each person's liver produces about 2 grams of cholesterol per day. When we are stressed, our body produces more cholesterol to secrete more of the stress hormone (cortisol). Cholesterol is also found in many foods, such as meat and eggs. , Animal oils and so on. Cholesterol is divided into two categories: 1. Low Density Lipoproteins, also called Bad Cholesterol (LDL). 2. High Density Lipoproteins, also known as Good Cholesterol (HDL). Adequate levels of good cholesterol (HDL) reduce the risk of heart attack and clogged arteries. Good cholesterol helps the body collect bad cholesterol from the bloodstream and the walls of the arteries and into the liver. Bad cholesterol is broken down in the liver and then excreted from the body. Bad cholesterol (LDL), on the other hand, attache...