High chemical levels increase more chances of coronary heart disease

• comments
• 
• 

Researchers strongly suggest that eating too much saturated fat can increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

According to Medical News Today, the study led by Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston MA that was published in The BMJ, assistant Professor Qi Sun said, "The findings strongly verify what the current USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Dietary Guidelines recommend."

Professor Sun, senior author of the BMJ, also pointed out to maintain an overall healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish and low-fat dairy, and use of vegetable cooking oils rich in polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats; people must limit saturated fat consumption to no more than one tenth of the total calories.

Eating saturated fats and transfats increases blood cholesterol, particularly the bad cholesterol or Low Density Lipid (LDL). These saturated fats came from fat from meat and chicken, dairy products and some plant foods like palm oil and coconut oil. While transfats are found in processed foods like biscuits, pastries and take away foods that have used ingredients like butter, palm oil (vegetable oil), cheese and meat. Likewise, these fats will also exaggerate the risk of coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease arises when certain factors like smoking, high level of cholesterol and fats in the blood, high blood pressure and high blood sugar, damage the lining of the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscles.

When the LDL from saturated and transfat deposits (plaque) accumulate in the damage arterial lining, it can harden and break the lining open. It also restricts blood flow and may lead to angina pectoris or chest pain.

As the plaque continues to grow, blood clots will be imminent and further narrows the arteries and worsen the chest pain. And if plaque is big enough, it may completely block a coronary artery, causing a heart attack.

Per Heart Foundation Au, choosing healthier foods with healthier fats helps balance cholesterol level in the blood that reduces the risk for heart diseases.

It is recommended that less than 1% of total energy should come from transfat.

Choosing reduced fat milk, cheese and yoghurt, refrain from hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and avoid foods with these oils, eat less processed and take away foods, trim off fats in the meat and remove skin from chicken, eat fish instead of meat 2 - 3 times a week and choose legume or bean based meals twice a week are the several tips from Heart Foundation for consuming less saturated and trans fatty foods and prevent coronary heart disease.