Are We Wrong about Cholesterol and Saturated Foods in General?

I recently got a blood test done and turns out my cholesterol is too high.

I am in my early 30s. I go to the gym 2 to 3 times a week. Generally eat healthy foods. Don't smoke. I find it hard to justify why my cholesterol is too high.

If any one is interested, my cholesterol results in mmol/L are:

  • Total = 6.7 (too high)
  • Trig = 0.9
  • HDL = 1.6
  • LDL = 4.7 (too high)

GP said my LDL and total cholesterol are too high and I need to watch my diet (eat more wholegrains, fruits, veggies, less meat, less saturated foods, etc).
Edit: I already eat like this. GP couldn't really explain the results and just kind off dismissed it by saying eat even more veggies, even less meat, etc

Everyone I speak to (friends, parents, other doctors) say that high cholesterol (especially LDL) is bad because it results in increase risk of heart disease. I had always thought that having high cholesterol was bad. However, now that my own results came up high I did some research and it seems that high cholesterol is not that bad. A better indicator of increased heart attack risk might be the level of HDL cholesterol (specifically, the Total/HDL Cholesterol ratio).

For example:

Low Carb & Keto: What about Cholesterol?
Your Doctor Is Wrong About Cholesterol
Don’t Worry About “Bad” Cholesterol, Says Dr. Paul Saladino

Going down this rabbit hole, it seems like what we have been taught about in terms of saturated fat is also incorrect. Saturated fat is not as bad as what we have been told.

What is your opinion on saturated fats and cholesterol?
Is the general population's view on saturated fats and cholesterol incorrect?

Comments

  • have a carnivore diet, and it will clear all that up. all steaks. research it, ymmv

  • Can anyone explain the difference between cholesterol created by the liver and dietary cholesterol? Is anyone smart enough?

    • They say cholesterol we get from food is oxidised and created by liver is not? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

      • Specifically which foods contain oxidised cholesterol?

  • We? Who's we?

    I don't understand your question. It seems to be based upon "I was expecting better pathology."

    "I don't eat anything unhealthy." - says it all really. Unhealthy is not about what you eat but how much of what you eat.

    • Unhealthy is not about what you eat

      Man, that's really messed up.

      • So is quoting people out of context.

        • The full quote is really messed up.

  • -1

    6.9 is 266mg/dl which is too high but not serious, Below 150 is where heart attack risk drops off a cliff. To reach that level go on a low fat vegetarian diet.

  • +1

    Natural foods are best, avocado & coconut over margarines and chemical fats.

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