Improved Cholesterol Levels With Monounsaturated Fats in Diet

Patients with mild to moderate elevated cholesterol levels find it beneficial to have monounsaturated fat (MUFA) added to a cholesterol-lowering dietary portfolio, claims a new study.

The study discovered that elevated cholesterol levels increased HDL by 12.5 percent and lowered LDL levels by 35 percent.

Cholesterol - The Enigma Chemical
The word 'Cholesterol' rings danger bells as soon as it is mentioned. This important chemical is important for the normal metabolism of the body and is dangerous only if present in excess.

Low HDL-C levels and high LDL-C levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The addition of dietary monounsaturated fat, common in the Mediterranean diet, is a current approach to raising HDL-C levels.

The study included 24 patients (17 men and 7 postmenopausal women) who completed a very low saturated fat diet before being randomly assigned to either a high-MUFA diet or a low- MUFA diet.

Both groups of patients were assigned to a specific vegetarian diet which included oats, barley, psyllium, eggplant, okra, soy, almonds and a plant sterol enriched margarine.

High Cholesterol | Hypercholesterolemia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
High cholesterol level in blood are a risk for heart disease and stroke. They get deposited in the wall of the arteries and clog the circulation posing a threat to life.

In the high-MUFA group, the researchers substituted 13% of calories from carbohydrates with high-MUFA sunflower oil, with the option of a partial exchange with avocado oil.

They found significant reductions in blood cholesterol levels over the two-month study period for participants.

Low Cholesterol Diet- The Pivotal Chemical
Cholesterol - The Pivotal Chemical in Low Cholesterol Diet

"The replacement of 13percent of total calories from carbohydrate by monounsaturated fats in the dietary portfolio resulted in a 12.5% greater increase in HDL-C over the four weeks, while not altering the substantial LDL-C reduction," wrote Dr. David Jenkins, Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, with coauthors.

The study was published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Mediterranean Diet - Benefits - Components - Olive Oil - FAQs
Mediterranean diet has long been considered one of the healthiest diets on the planet. This diet plan discourages the use of saturated fats and hydrogenated oils while cooking meals.

Source-ANI