More about sugars
creating imbalance in our body


The high insulin level that accompanies our fast food meal or food court/hawker style noodles also triggers the cholesterol-making machine in the liver. So it is not only the high cholesterol found in prawns, crabs and squids that cause high cholesterol in our body! Part of the excess sugar will be stored in the liver as glycogen. The rest of the sugar will be stored in our muscle cells and brain. So if there are still excess sugar, especially after a high carbohydrate meal, it is converted to fats. These fats found in our blood and tissues are called triglycerides. (see notes below for a more detailed explanation.)

Actually, cholesterol is an essential part of our body chemistry. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all our body's cells. It is an important part of a healthy body because it is used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. But a high level of cholesterol in the blood—hypercholesterolemia — is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.


What about cholesterol and diet?

People get cholesterol in two ways. Our liver produces varying amounts, usually about 1,000 milligrams a day. Certain foods contain cholesterol. Foods from animals (especially egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, seafood and whole-milk dairy products) contain it. Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) don't contain cholesterol.

Typically the body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so we don't need to consume it. Saturated fatty acids are the main culprit in raising blood cholesterol, which increases our risk of heart disease. Trans fats also raise blood cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol also plays a part.

The average cholesterol level of Singaporeans aged 18-69 is 5.3 mmol/l in 2004 while the proportion of Singaporeans with high cholesterol (6.2mmol/l or above) is 18.7% in 2004. It is alarming to know that Singapore has a higher prevalence of high cholesterol compared to developed countries such as the United States (17.3%).



Insulin Resistance and Cholesterol


Insulin Resistance is the malfunctioning of insulin in our body that causes more insulin to be produced in response to sugar. In other words, insulin resistance is associated with type II diabetes. It is also noted that insulin resistance is associated with higher levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides in obese children. In a newsletter by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the lipid profile of patients with type 2 diabetes includes decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (a significant risk factor for heart disease), increased serum very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels and, sometimes, a decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level.


Notes

Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body. They are chains of high energy fatty acids that provide much of the energy needed for cells to function. Triglycerides in our blood are derived from fats eaten in foods or made in the body from other energy sources like carbohydrates. Furthermore, calories ingested in a meal and not immediately used by the tissues are converted to triglycerides and transported to fat cells to be stored.

Foods That Raise Triglyceride Levels

The following foods and beverages contain nutrients that raise triglyceride levels and should be limited.
Alcohol: Beer, wine, hard liquor and liqueurs.
Saturated fats: Fats solid at room temperature, including animal fats, lard, butter and shortening. Also, fried foods, whole milk, whole milk dairy products, cheese, cream cheese, high-fat meats and fast foods.
Trans fats: Hydrogenated fats found in margarine, vegetable shortening, fried foods, fast foods and most commercial snack foods such as pastries, cakes, pies, crackers, etc.
Sugar: Concentrated sweets such as sugar, honey, molasses, jams, jellies and candy. Desserts such as pies, cakes, cookies, candy, doughnuts, ice cream, frozen yoghurt and sweetened gelatin.
Beverages: Fruit juices, fruit drinks, fruit punches, regular sodas, smoothies, sports drinks and sweetened coffee drinks.
Other foods: Sweetened cereals, flavored yogurts and sports or energy bars
Starch: Concentrated starchy foods -- Bagels, pasta, rice, potatoes, large rolls, pizza, pretzels, popcorn, chips, many fat-free foods and ready-to-eat cereals. Choose small portions of these due to their high carbohydrate density. Use whole grains and legumes (starchy beans) in preference to refined starches.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol and other fats can't dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds, but the ones to focus on are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

What is LDL cholesterol?
Low-density lipoprotein is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries, causing a heart attack. If a clot blocks the blood flow to part of the brain, a stroke results.

What is HDL cholesterol?
About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows their growth. HDL cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol because a high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. The opposite is also true: a low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dL in men; less than 50 mg/dL in women) indicates a greater risk. A low HDL cholesterol level also may raise stroke risk.