Fighting cholesterol

[vzank]

Here is the low down on cholesterol.

1) Cholesterol comes only from animal fat. So peanut butters that claim to be cholesterol free are not doing anything special to put this claim on their label
2) Your cholesterol can be significantly higher as long as the hdl/ldl ratios are ok

[kokopuffs]

Elevated cholesterol in the face of healthy HDL/LDL ratios can be an indication that the body is not metabolizing cholesterol as much as it should. Hence Mevacor. Although I've mentioned this before, it turns out that elevated cholesterol may be the result of deficient or defective receptor proteins for cholesterol which are located on the cell wall. Not necessarily the result of a poor diet, therefore.

[Miller]

There is some excellent research out there about the benefits of eating a handfull of pecans every day to reduce cholesterol. I'm from the group that believes the dangers of cholesterol are mostly a fantasy based on some faulty science. I'm more apt to point to information like:

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Aug. 16, 1990) found that hydrogenated or hardened vegetable oil, the major ingredient of margarine, "may be" worse than saturated fats in raising cholesterol, especially by raising the supposed harmful LDLs and lowering the supposed beneficial HDLs. The effects of hydrogenated vegetable fats on human health are "particularly worrisome," said the article. "We are now faced with the paradox that a saturated fatty acid, stearic acid, does not increase serum cholesterol levels, whereas monounsaturated fatty acids of the trans variety do."...

This is one of the reasons I gave up trans fatty acids (shortening, margarine, vegetable oil) and eat a hand full of pecans every day. I also use the method of preparation found in "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. The nuts are soaked overnight (sprouting begins), then I drain and place in the dehydrator to dry. This is done because nuts contain numerous enzyme inhibitors than can put a real strain on the digestive mechanism - especially if consumed in excess. If you are eating a lot of nuts, you might try eating a digestive enzyme after to help with digestion, or use nature's way and soak them.

I would prefer changing my consumption and adding a few nuts. My friend who took the drug route had a very bad experience. She's doing fine now that she reduced consumption of trans fatty acids and eats her pecans (I think almonds do the same thing and they are a nice boost of calcium, as well).