Which Foods Raise Cholesterol Levels?

Having high cholesterol levels in the blood is a problem for several of us. A number of things can be responsible for this, and one of these is the type of food we eat. Eating some types of food can dramatically increase our cholesterol levels, but we could easily manage this ourselves. Simply by varying our diet to one with no saturated and trans-fats we could reduce the danger of high cholesterol. But is it only foods that we must always be aware of, or does alcohol consumption also have a bearing on it?

Can drinking alcohol have an effect on cholesterol?

Many of us like a drink with a meal but worry that it will aversely affect cholesterol. There has been quite a lot of publicity concerning the effect alcohol might have on our health and specifically cholesterol levels. However, research has shown that there's no recognized connection between moderate drinking and cholesterol levels.

Anyone drinking moderate quantities of alcohol, about one drink per day for women or two each day for men, should observe no change in their cholesterol but those who exceed these quantities may do so.

Alcohol can produce an increase in the good (HDL) cholesterol in the blood, but consuming as little as 3 to 5 alcoholic drinks each day can be associated with negative health effects. As HDL cholesterol acts as a scavenger it may get rid of the bad cholesterol from the bloodstream. A high amount of HDL cholesterol can therefore reduce the risk of suffering from a heart attack, and among the best ways to reduce cholesterol naturally would be to make certain dietary changes.

Does coffee raise your cholesterol levels?

Esspresso coffee and many filtered coffees like French-press can increase cholesterol levels. However, filtered coffee doesn't include oil compounds that may raise choseterol levels.

Some research has suggested that Acrylamide, among the chemical substances present in coffee, could be carcinogenic in animals however the WHO will not accept these findings on account of insufficient evidence. Research is currently being done to look for different methods of manufacturing coffee because the Acrylamide is a side effect of the roasting process. Other scientific studies have associated two oils formed when coffee is brewed, cafestol and kahweol, to increases in total levels of cholesterol and also LDL cholesterol levels.

I adore chocolate, but will it force my cholesterool levels up?

Despite what most people believe eating chocolate won't increase your cholesterol levels significantly. This is beacuse chocolate contains stearic acid that will not raise blood cholesterol .
Chocolate does contain oleic acid that is also present in olive oil, and this may actually help raise levels of HDL cholesterol which is helpful in lowering the total cholesterol count. Sadly, eating chocolate will make you gain weight.

Eating chocolate is virtually certain to cause you to gain weight since it is so full of calories. However, some people claim that drinking a cup of hot chocolate before a meal really diminishes their appetite.

For more free advice, and information on how some foods and drinks affect your cholesterol levels, visit Low Cholesterol Foods.