Bad Cholesterol and Fats – What’s the Difference?

To eat well means to meet the nutritional needs of the body, which may be obtainable from food sources or obtained through a diet. Food is any material consumed to give nourishment to an organism intended to enable it to grow and survive. Food is normally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and consists of necessary nutrients, including vitamins, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, or minerals, intended to enable an organism to carry out appropriate physiologic functions. Humans obtain most of their food from the foods that are commercially available and there are some other foods that our bodies cannot produce but can acquire by eating other foods that are acceptable only slightly less than natural, but rich in nutrients.

The artificial or simulated foodstuffs are much cheaper than fresh, real food, but are still full of calories and do not provide the same nutrition. Due to the large number of processed foods on the market nowadays, you should be careful to choose the real foodstuffs from among the artificial ones. Processed foods consist of sugar, salt, flour, milk, potatoes, cheese, fruit juices, artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial tastes, artificial preservatives, and artificial packaging.

Unprocessed foods are healthy because they consist of wholesome natural food like fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, oils, and herbs. This type of food provides all the essential food components required for the body’s good health. Processed foods are usually made of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), high-sugar corn syrup (HFCS), and hydrogenated oils. Unprocessed foods like fatty meats, eggs, poultry meats, fish, shellfish, cream, margarine, butter, fried fish, and processed snacks are high in calories. You should also be cautious about foods that are prepackaged and contain concentrated carbohydrates (e.g., potato chips and cheese) or fiber because these substances are usually not healthy.

HFCS is an example of high-fructose corn syrup that is added to many food products as a low-calorie sweetener. It contains twenty percent calories per serving, but has much more calories than candies that have an equal amount of sugar and are high in calories. Another type of food is HFCS that is usually added to food products that are rich in fiber content like pasta and cakes. HFCS is made of fructose and can cause imbalance in blood sugar levels. High-fructose foods are usually found in chocolates, cookies, sweets, sauces, dried fruits, and ready-made meals.

The harmful effects of HFCS are more serious than that of the simple carbohydrates. High fructose corn syrup can cause obesity by causing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This particular type of food is not only found in soda, juice, and canned goods, but it also can be found in breakfast cereals, diabetic medications, energy drinks, ready-to-eat meals, cookies, candies, energy drinks, soda, and fruit juices. It is believed that more than twenty-six billion pounds of this food items are consumed around the world each year. In the United States, food manufacturers are allowed to add high fructose corn syrup to their products. This ingredient is an accepted ingredient but still not approved by the FDA for use as food additives.

Foods high in HFCS or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are believed to raise bad cholesterol levels and cause heart disease. Recent studies have suggested that consuming HFCS reduces the good cholesterol and increases bad cholesterol in the body. This is attributed to the fact that the hydrogen atoms contained within the carbon chain of the HFCS chains are unable to bond with the fats present in food. The body senses these hydrogen atoms as a threat and releases more cholesterol into the bloodstream. A diet high in HFCS has been linked to the development of cardiac disease.