subject: Can Alcohol or Chocolate Raise Cholesterol Levels? [print this page] Can Alcohol or Chocolate Raise Cholesterol Levels?
High cholesterol is a major problem amongst a number of people. A number of factors can be the reason for this, and one of these is the type of food we eat. By eating some kinds of food we are risking a rise in cholesterol levels, but luckily this is something we can easily control. If we avoid foods containing lots of hydrogenated fat we can be pretty sure that our levels of cholesterol will come down. Can alcohol make a difference to cholesterol, or is it just fatty foods we should watch out for?
If I drink a glass of wine, will that add to my cholesterol levels?
A number of people are worried that some foods and beverages are likely to increase their cholesterol. Many individuals are of the impression that alcohol can increase cholesterol levels and impact a person's health in a variety of ways. However, research has shown that there's no recognized link between average drinking and cholesterol levels.
Moderate alcohol consumption is frequently measured as one drink per day for girls and two for guys, but individuals drinking more than this may see raises in triglycerides and cholesterol levels in the blood.
Small amounts of alcohol can actually raise the HDL cholesterol that may be beneficial, but drinking in excess of 3 drinks every day may harm your health. As HDL cholesterol acts like a scavenger it may remove the bad cholesterol from your bloodstream. Having increased HDL cholesterol can therefore decrease the risk of heart problems, and the simplest way of achieving this is by adapting your diet.
Can I drink coffee without raising cholesterol levels?
If you drink percolated or filtered coffee then there is a small risk of increasing cholesterol. But the good news is that filtered coffee does not contain the oil compounds which could raise the cholesterol levels in coffee drinkers.
One of the ingredients in coffee, Acrylamide, has been found to be carcinogenic in animals, though the World Health Organizations has acknowledged that insufficient investigation has been conducted to see how it effects humans. As this substance is created in the roasting process other ways of producing coffee are now being researched. In other scientific studies, Cafestol and Kahweol, two oils produced when coffee is brewed have been linked to higher cholseterol levels.
Will chocolate raise my cholesterol levels?
Eating chocolate won't lift your cholesterol levels you will be gald to hear. Stearic acid is a constituent of chocolate, and this neutral fat does not increase cholesterol levels in the blood.
Chocolate does contain oleic acid that is also found in olive oil, and this may very well help raise levels of HDL cholesterol which is helpful in reducing the total cholesterol count. Unfortunately, eating chocolate will make you gain weight.
Chocolate was once prescribed to people experiencing tuberculosis as it was so high in calories. However, some people claim that drinking a cup of hot chocolate prior to a meal actually diminishes their appetite.
