When it comes to cholesterol, most people think of it as a bad thing. High cholesterol can be dangerous, but cholesterol is also essential for the body to function properly. Discover 5 facts about cholesterol to understand who is at risk for cholesterol-related diseases, which foods are high in it, and why cholesterol is sometimes not a bad thing.

1. Exercise can increase good cholesterol

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a way to stabilize cholesterol.

Daily exercise is very beneficial for a healthier life, so if you want to control your cholesterol, regular exercise can help lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol naturally.

2. Cholesterol increases after menopause

Before menopause, estrogen helps to maintain cholesterol levels in the body. However, after a woman’s menstrual cycle, estrogen levels decrease, causing bad cholesterol to increase sharply. As cholesterol levels increase, it also increases the risk of heart problems in many women.

3. Cholesterol levels may be too low

Low cholesterol is bad for your health

High cholesterol is bad, but very low cholesterol can also have negative health effects. Experts recommend keeping cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL, which is the average level for adults. However, below a certain level, such as 160 mg/dL, can lead to health risks, including cancer. Do health problems cause low cholesterol, or vice versa? Or are they unrelated? That’s not clear.

Studies show that some pregnant women with low cholesterol are more likely to give birth prematurely. Low cholesterol is even linked to anxiety and depression.

4. Children Can Have Cholesterol Too

Most people think of excess cholesterol as an older person’s problem. However, research suggests that atherosclerosis, the narrowing of arteries that leads to heart attacks, can start as early as age 8.

Obesity or a family history of heart disease can be the cause of high cholesterol in children. Therefore, it is important to have a medical check-up done as soon as possible and keep your diet in check.

According to research by the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is recommended that children who are overweight, have high blood pressure, or have a family history of heart disease should have their cholesterol levels checked starting at age two. Therefore, children with high cholesterol should limit foods containing saturated fat, specifically reducing it to 7% of calories and consuming no more than 200mg of cholesterol per day. In addition, children should supplement fiber and exercise regularly.

5. Foods to eat and avoid

Foods to eat

• Vegetables: Mustard greens, spinach, amaranth, cucumbers, cantaloupe, Malabar spinach, jute, squash, pumpkin, squash, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, carrots, kohlrabi, chayote…
• Less sweet fruits: Plums, grapefruit, peaches, oranges, tangerines, pears, apples, dragon fruit, watermelon.
• Rice and tubers: About 200-250 g/day.
• Beef, lean pork, chicken (skinless), low-fat fish.
• Soy milk, tofu, tofu pudding.

Foods to limit

• Rice, potatoes, other cereals: Maximum 3 bowls of rice/day.
• Sugar, candies, soft drinks.
• Overly sweet fruits: Bananas, jackfruit, custard apples, lychees, longans, mangoes.
• Sweetened condensed milk.
• Eggs of all kinds: 1-2 eggs/week.

Foods to avoid

• Viscera: Brain, heart, liver, kidney, stomach, sausage: Fatty meat, animal fats, coconut oil, palm oil; Butter, cheese, chocolate; Whole milk powder. When preparing food, increase steamed and boiled dishes, limit stir-fried and fried dishes.