The sedentary lifestyle has many pitfalls and combined with poor eating habits, it can be catastrophic for your health. This seemingly harmless indulgence of salty snacks and sugary treats, even in small amounts whenever the craving strikes, can put you at risk for high levels of bad cholesterol. Emerging evidence shows how sitting all day without exercise or eating fatty foods can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease and many other life-threatening diseases. In the hectic lifestyle, it has become a norm for people to opt for packaged foods which can be cooked easily. Unhealthy and unconscious eating between meals also contributes to increased cholesterol levels. (Read also: Hypercholesterolemia: 8 seasonal vegetables to lower bad cholesterol levels)
Not all cholesterol is bad and in fact it is important for our body to function well. Having healthy amounts of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol is important for reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as eliminating bad cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. from the body. It is the low HDL or high LDL triglycerides that can increase the risk of health problems like atherosclerosis, other metabolic diseases, and even heart attack.
Thus, it is important to be careful while indulging in fatty foods as their excessive consumption can cause many lifestyle-related diseases.
Avantii Deshpaande, clinical nutritionist shares the list of 7 bad eating habits that can increase LDL cholesterol:
1. Consuming baked goods
Baked goods include cookies, cakes, pastries, puffs, cream rolls, etc. These foods are prepared with vegetable fat, i.e. vanaspati or margarine, which are high in trans fats, which in turn increase bad cholesterol.
2. Eat processed meats
All frozen meats like sausages, salami, hamburger patties, bacon, etc. are preserved by smoking or salting, salting or adding chemical preservatives. Not only are they high in bad cholesterol, but they are also carcinogenic. It is best to avoid them altogether.
3. Have fast foods as snacks
Indian fast foods like pav bhaji, samosa, bhature and western ones like pizza, burgers etc. are high in LDL cholesterol. It’s the use of ingredients that makes it high in saturated fat and also the manufacturing process of using expired ingredients, reheated oil for frying, ingredients high in fats and carbohydrates, and ingredients with low in fiber which makes it harmful – not only to raise cholesterol but also obesity. , diabetes and PCOS.
4. Consume fewer fruits and vegetables in the diet
Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, which will help us lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Along with this, fruits and vegetables are also rich in phytonutrients which have antioxidant properties and remove toxins from the body and cleanse vital organs like liver, intestines and kidneys. Be sure to include 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in the diet.
5. Eat foods low in soluble fiber
Soluble fiber draws water from the intestine, which softens the stool and can also bind to cholesterol and remove it from the body. Oats, peas, apple, guava, carrots, citrus fruits are rich in soluble fiber. Be sure to include them in the diet
6. Indulge in processed foods
Any food that is available in packets and has a longer shelf life would mean that it has been processed to improve shelf life. These foods are known to raise bad cholesterol if the processing and packaging conditions are not standard operating processes or follow any certifications like HACCP. Be careful to choose processed foods and use them as little as possible
7. Have foods and desserts high in sugar
Packaged fruit juices, products containing high fructose corn syrup, staples like white bread, and even desserts are sometimes not high in fat but high in sugar. These sugars are converted into fat in the body and this in turn would increase bad cholesterol.
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