Where Does Cholesterol Come From?
The liver manufactures about 2,000 milligrams of cholesterol each day, which is more than the 500 to 750 milligrams the average individual consumes each day.
Cholesterol in the body comes from two sources: from the diet and from the liver, where it is manufactures.
Dietary cholesterol is not an essential nutrient. If an individual never ingested another milligram, body processes would continue to function. The liver manufactures about 2,000 milligrams of cholesterol each day, which is more than the 500 to 750 milligrams the average individual consumes each day.
To maintain a balance, a mechanism exists between dietary intake and the production of cholesterol in the liver. In healthy individuals this mechanism maintains the level of cholesterol within a safe and adequate range. In some individuals, especially those who consume large amounts of dietary cholesterol, this mechanism either fails to work effectively or stops working because of the overload. Under these conditions, cholesterol levels in the blood can rise.
A vegetable oil advertised as “cholesterol free” is no different from any other vegetable oil on the supermarket shelf. All vegetable oils are cholesterol free. Only food from animal sources, not vegetable sources, contain cholesterol.
The United States Dietary Goals and the American Heart Association recommend that an individual restrict cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg each day; the current average is approximately 500 mg each day. Egg yolks are the most concentrated source of cholesterol, with each yolk providing between 250 and 300 mg; egg whites do not contain cholesterol. Organ meats, such as liver, kidney, and heart, also contain large concentrations of cholesterol. Red meats are a major source of cholesterol.
The dark meat of both chicken and turkey contain more cholesterol that the white meat. Removing the skin before cooking will eliminate a lot of the fat. Other sources of cholesterol include beef, pork, lamb, luncheon meats, hot dogs, and shellfish. Fish and poultry without the skin have small amounts of cholesterol.
The butterfat in dairy foods contains cholesterol. In general, the greater the fat content of the dairy food, the greater the cholesterol content. Whole milk contains more cholesterol than low fat milk and non fat milk contains very little cholesterol. Any dairy food mixed with egg yolk, such as custard, ice cream, or tapioca pudding, is high in cholesterol.
Grain foods that contain cholesterol include waffles, pancakes, muffins, cornbread, and noodles. The cholesterol content in these foods comes from the eggs added during processing.
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