Lipid Levels - Cholesterol, LDL, Triglycerides (Trig) and HDL
The lipid profile consists of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides. Cholesterol is a chemical compound made up of fats and steroids that is produced by the body. While most of the cholesterol is produced from the body, you can also get cholesterol from meats, milk and cheese. Cholesterol intake should be less than 300 mg per day. Your body makes LDL “bad” cholesterol from two types of fat in the diet. Saturated fats included fatty meats, whole milk dairy products (whole milk, butter, cream, sour cream, cheese, or ice cream) and coconut or palm oil. The other fat is trans fats. They are found in many fried foods, baked goods (cookies and crackers), and stick margarine. A high LDL level may increase the risk for heart disease. HDL is known as the “good” cholesterol. HDL may help the body get rid of plaque. Triglycerides are the main form in which fat travels in the blood. You need some triglycerides for good health. But, high triglycerides can raise your risk for heart disease.
Blood Lipid Goals:
| Lipid (Blood Fats) | Goal |
| Total Cholesterol | Below 200 mg/dL |
| LDL Cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) | Below 100 mg/dL |
| HDL Cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) | Greater than 40 mg/dL in men
Greater than 50 mg/dL in women |
| Triglycerides | Below 150 mg/dL
Below 70 mg/dL in people with heart disease |
Reference: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/What-Your-Cholesterol-Levels-Mean_UCM_305562_Article.jsp,.
Food Guidelines for Blood Lipid Control:
| Food Categories | Foods to Use | Foods to Avoid |
| Breads, Grains, Cereals | Whole grain breads, pastas, rice, and cereals (hot or cold)
| Sweet rolls, doughnuts, and breakfast pastries (Danish) |
| Vegetables | Any, 1 serving of dark-green or deep-yellow daily | Any breaded deep fried vegetables, vegetables topped with cream or cheese sauces |
| Fruits | All fruit | Fruit canned or frozen in sugar or heavy syrup, coconut |
| Milk Products | Skim milk, low-fat cheese, low-fat yogurt, powdered skim milk | Whole milk, whole milk packaged goods (cream, ice cream, puddings, yogurt, cheeses), non- dairy cream substitutes |
| Meats, Poultry, Fish, Dried Beans, Eggs, Nuts | Lean meats (pork, chicken, turkey, veal, non-fatty cuts of beef), egg whites, egg yolks 3 times per week, fresh or frozen fish, tuna packed in water, dried beans or peas | Bacon, sausage, duck, goose, skin of poultry, processed meats, luncheon meats, organ meats, tuna packed in oil, use shellfish and nuts sparingly, commercial baked beans |
| Fats | Soft margarine, oils(olive, canola, peanut safflower, soybean, sunflower, corn or sesame seed), avocado, olives | Butter, stick margarine, commercial salad dressings, gravies, bacon drippings, cream sauces, |
Reference: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002449.htm,.