THE ESSENTIAL
- It is estimated that 12 million French people suffer from excess LDL cholesterol, according to the scientific work Vidal.
- For healthy people, it is recommended to take a blood test with a lipid profile every 5 years to check the cholesterol level.
In France, the cholesterol would be the cause of one in two infarcts and nearly 20% of the adult population would present hypercholesterolemia, that is to say an excess of cholesterol in the blood, depending on French Federation of Cardiology. Cholesterol can be defined as an essential lipid for the body: it is part of the composition of cell membranes, participates in the production of certain hormones, vitamin D, bile, etc. There are therefore “good” and “bad” cholesterol.
Good and bad cholesterol
Cholesterol circulates freely in the blood. Two proteins are responsible for its transport in the body: high density lipoproteins (HDL) which correspond to “good” cholesterol and low density lipoproteins (LDL) for “bad” cholesterol. The latter deteriorates the arteries, promotes the formation of blood clots and is a risk factor for cardiovascular accidents.
Do not consume too much fatty foods
Cholesterol can either be synthesized directly by the body or come from food. It is found in egg yolk, organ meats, cold cuts, cream or butter. For the latter as for others, it should not be consumed in too large a quantity because they contain saturated fats which have an impact on LDL cholesterol. For people who suffer from it, it is therefore recommended not to ingest more than 15 grams of butter per day. So don’t hesitate to weigh the butter before spreading it on your toast!
In cooking, use vegetable oils instead
On the stove side, it is also recommended to cook with as little fat as possible. The best is to use rapeseed oil, olive oil, sunflower, nuts, soy or corn… And not to add too much. To do this, spread a few drops of oil on the surface where you are going to cook your food, then spread it with a paper towel. Thus the entire surface will be covered but with little fat. Finally, in the same vein, always measure out the oil with a spoon to season your salads.
Watch out for the margarine
Can we replace butter with margarine? Never as a preventive measure, only people who already suffer from hypercholesterolemia should consume it. And, even for them, it is better to seek advice from your doctor or nutritionist before buying some because not all margarines have the same composition. The practitioner will therefore tell you which one is best suited to your cholesterol.
A blood test to make the diagnosis
To diagnose a person with cholesterol, the doctor usually orders a blood test with a lipid profile. This assesses the levels of HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides. The latter constitute the major part of fats that we eat and that circulate in our blood. Thus, it is generally considered that the total cholesterol level is normal when it is less than or equal to 2g / L.
