What is it and what are the benefits of cholesterol?

The cholesterol is commonly associated with a downside for our body, especially if it comes with poor diet and a lifestyle not exactly healthy. But often it happens that people are perfectly healthy, but despite that cholesterol is a bit higher than necessary, so as to be of concern to the parties concerned.

But what is cholesterol? It has the benefits or is really only something negative? Today we deepen the discussion and dispel a commonplace.

What is cholesterol?

The cholesterol is a nutrient essential to our lives, even though you do not make any kind of calories for our body.

To go into more detail and understand what is cholesterol start by saying that it is a type of fat produced naturally by the body and found in all animal foods (meat, eggs, fish, milk and dairy products). Now you may wonder: but if it is so damaging, why is produced by your own body?

As said before, cholesterol has its benefits …

• Cholesterol is important already in the embryonic life, which is why, for example, the hen’s egg is present in large quantities. In fact the egg, if it were fertilized lead to the formation of a chick, then in the same way the egg cell of a woman, every month, can be fertilized, it is rich in cholesterol.
• Cholesterol is useful for growth; this explains why it is present in large quantities during childhood and adolescence. Exceeded 50-60 years, it is also normal to have levels a bit ‘high, so if it is your case, do not worry. Of course, if your cholesterol values are too high, you should discuss with a doctor before taking the natural products that help to balance the cholesterol level.
• Cholesterol is present in the membrane of all cells, so as to allow the “communication” of these cells between them.
• Cholesterol helps absorb fats derived from food. So if there is a shortage of cholesterol, it may be a bad fat absorption and therefore a possible intestinal inflammation.
• Steroid hormones are formed by cholesterol: steroid hormones are sex hormones and cortisol (the stress hormone), and a shortage of cholesterol can increase stress and create hormonal imbalances.
• Among the benefits of cholesterol it finds its ability to synthesize Vitamin D.
• Cholesterol is an antioxidant: paradox, yet it helps to repair damaged cells and eliminate free radicals.

You may also like to read another article on MenHealthCare: Cholesterol and Triglycerides: Diet and Natural Remedies

But then cholesterol is dangerous?

Now you must be wondering how come so scared face cholesterol, so as to influence the diet. Studies have confirmed how cholesterol introduced through diet increases the cholesterol in the blood by about 10-15%, quite low amount that is not a concern. The really dangerous cholesterol and that is taken orally for food, is oxidized, that is, a modified type of cholesterol because of incisors industrial treatments, such as the use of high temperatures.

The UHT milk or those to be refrigerated, depending on the type of pasteurization which has been practiced, or processed cheese, processed meats, such as frankfurters, etc.

High cholesterol should not be seen at all costs as an enemy, taking into account that about 80% is produced by your own body. The most important thing is to understand why cholesterol has high values: inflammation, autoimmune diseases, loss of lean mass, medications, stress, hormonal imbalances are some of the cases to which cholesterol increases while feeding if done in a healthy way, should not be alarmed for no reason.