Many believe that the best way to manage high cholesterol is to avoid cholesterol-rich foods, but this is not always true. In fact, many other types of foods can have a much greater impact on cholesterol levels.
For example, a diet high in added sugar may affect your cholesterol levels in ways you may not be aware of.
So what exactly is the relationship between eating added sugar and your body’s cholesterol levels? For more information, we talked to several professional nutritionists. The effects of sugar on cholesterol are: For tips on a healthy diet, see 5 Worst Drinks That Can Increase Your Risk of Heart Attack.
What Sugar Can Do For Your Cholesterol
“Most of us aren’t thinking about adding sugar when it comes to dietary changes to improve cholesterol, but significantly reducing the amount of sugar added in the diet can significantly improve cholesterol.” Stated. Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD With a balance one supplement.
But how accurately can added sugars affect these levels? “Additional sugars can cause inflammation in the body and lower HDL cholesterol. This is a type of cholesterol known as” good cholesterol “and is one way the body fights LDL or” bad cholesterol “. “Best says. “It has also been shown that the addition of sugar increases the body’s triglyceride levels, the amount of fat that circulates in the blood.”
According to a study published in Journal of the American Heart AssociationPeople who consumed 12 ounces of added sugar daily in the form of soda were more likely to have high triglycerides and low levels of HDL cholesterol.
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Important notes on added sugar
When we talked to our nutritionists, we remembered that many of the studies found online could always seem to have a significant effect on cholesterol, even with the addition of small amounts of sugar. Instead, most studies focus on diets that sometimes do not contain it and are significantly heavy in added sugar.
“Additional sugar has no real nutritional benefits, but it does not have to be completely eliminated from the diet,” he said. Rachel Fine, RDN Founder of To The Pointe Nutrition. “It is virtually impossible to completely eliminate added sugars, which can lead to relentlessly restrictive eating disorders.”
When monitoring cholesterol levels and monitoring the consumption of added sugar, Fine suggests that some heart-healthy foods should also be included.
“When it comes to supporting cholesterol, I encourage the idea of inclusion rather than exclusion. Incorporate more unsaturated foods such as olive oil and avocado. These increase LDL while raising HDL cholesterol levels. It lowers cholesterol levels and is healthy for the heart. “
