Ways to reduce the amount of fat you eat can include changing the way you cook your food. So instead of roasting or frying, consider grilling, steaming, poaching, boiling or microwaving your food


Foods containing fat Your GP may also have suggested you eat fewer foods that contain saturated fat. Saturated fat is just one of the two types of fat in our diet, and is found in lots of foods including:


• Fatty meats, sausages and meat pies • Dairy foods including full-fat cream, butter, ghee, large and hard cheeses • Cakes and biscuits


Fats derived from animals are of the saturated variety, but some plant- based fats are also high in saturates, such as coconut and palm oil – so try to limit these foods too. Also look out for fats called trans fats, which can also raise your cholesterol. These can be found naturally in some foods in small amounts (in animal products, for example) as well as in foods that contain artificially created fats called hydrogenated fats, including many cakes and biscuits (check your food labels for hydrogenated fats and oils). The other type of fat in your diet –


called unsaturated fat – may help to reduce your cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fats are found mostly in plant foods and fish, including:


• Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines


• Nuts and seeds • Vegetable oils and spreads • Avocados


However, as all dietary fats are high in calories, the NHS suggests replacing the saturated fats in your diet with just small amounts of foods containing unsaturated fats. Other ways to reduce the amount of


fat you eat can include changing the way you cook your food. So instead


of roasting or frying, consider steaming or poaching your food. Also try having leaner cuts of meats and more lower-fat dairy foods than full-fat varieties, or simply eat full-fat dairy foods in smaller amounts.


Cholesterol in food Some foods contain cholesterol, including kidneys, eggs and prawns. But according to the NHS if you need to reduce your cholesterol levels it’s more important to cut down on foods containing saturated fat than foods containing dietary cholesterol. That’s because dietary cholesterol doesn’t have such a great effect on your blood cholesterol as the saturated fat you eat. Another way to help lower your


cholesterol is to have an active lifestyle, so try to aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. You can divide up the 150 minutes however you like, but an easy way to achieve your goal is to be active for 30 minutes on five days of the week. Any type of activity is suitable but aim to work hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat (according to the NHS you should be able to talk but not to sing).


• High cholesterol doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, so the only way to know if your cholesterol levels are healthy or not is to have a blood test. Your GP may advise you to have a cholesterol test depending on your circumstances, or you can have one at a local Careway pharmacy that offers a cholesterol testing service.


Based on your results you may be advised about making lifestyle changes


– such as eating more healthily and staying active – or you may be advised to take cholesterol-lowering medication. If you have any questions about cholesterol-lowering medicines, your local pharmacist can tell you everything you need to know.


Types of cholesterol


There are two main types of cholesterol, called lipoproteins, which are:


• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)


HDL is often called ‘good’ cholesterol because it carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver. Once in the liver the cholesterol is either broken down or passed out of the body. LDL, on the other hand, is known as


‘bad’ cholesterol because it allows cholesterol to build up in your artery walls if your cells have too much of it and can sometimes lead to arterial disease. Cholesterol is measured in units


called millimoles per litre (mmol/L). As a general guide, your LDL level should be 3mmol/L or lower (2mmol/L or lower if you have a high risk of cholesterol-related conditions), and your HDL should be 1mmol/L or higher. LDL and HDL levels can be


combined to form your total cholesterol level. This should be 5mmol/L or lower if you’re a healthy adult, or 4mmol/L or lower if you’re at high risk.


All About health 23


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