In these days of stress, it is important to pay attention to the fact that cholesterol levels in our blood tests may rise – without any dietary change. Just because of stress. But despite this, most people who discover high cholesterol do one thing immediately: Stop eating eggs. They give up omelets, cut down on fatty cheeses – and feel they are taking a healthy step.
But then they continue eating bread, pasta, matzah or breakfast cereals... and do not understand why cholesterol is not going down. So here is something to pay attention to – what really has more impact on cholesterol: Eggs or carbohydrates?
Eggs – not necessarily the problem: Eggs do contain cholesterol – that is a fact. But what is less known is that our body has a regulation mechanism. When we eat more cholesterol from food, the body usually produces less on its own. Therefore, for most people, eating eggs does not significantly raise blood cholesterol levels.
Many studies in recent years show that in healthy people, moderate egg consumption is not associated with an increased risk of heart disease. So why are people still afraid of them? Because it is much easier to blame a food that contains cholesterol than to understand what is really happening in the body.
Carbohydrates – the story less talked about: Here comes the twist. Carbohydrates, especially simple and processed carbohydrates, do not contain cholesterol at all. And yet, they can significantly affect it. How does this happen? When we eat carbohydrates in high amounts, especially sugars and white flours:
Insulin levels rise
The liver begins to produce more fats
Triglyceride levels rise
And sometimes there is also a decrease in HDL (“the good cholesterol”).
Many studies conducted over the past 20 years show that not only fat or dietary cholesterol affect heart health, but also – and sometimes mainly – the type and amount of carbohydrates in the diet.
A diet rich in simple carbohydrates and processed food has been found to be associated with increased triglyceride levels, decreased HDL ("the good cholesterol") and the formation of small, dense LDL particles that are considered more atherogenic, meaning more likely to deposit in the walls of blood vessels
In studies published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and JAMA it was found that a diet high in processed carbohydrates increases markers of chronic inflammation in the body, such as CRP, and increases oxidative stress. These are in fact two central processes that cause the development of atherosclerosis.
In addition, broad reviews have shown that dietary patterns based on processed food and sugars are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, even when total cholesterol levels are not abnormal. That is, the damage does not stem only from cholesterol levels themselves, but also from the inflammatory response and the effect of diet on blood vessel function over time.
The common mistake: Let us return to the beginning. Many people cut out eggs, continue eating processed carbohydrates, and are sure they are maintaining a "heart-healthy" diet, but in practice they are simply missing the main factor.
What is important? As always in nutrition, the answer is not black or white. Not all carbohydrates are problematic, and no, eggs are not "completely innocent", everything depends on the amount, the quality of the food, and the overall context of the diet. One thing that is important to understand is that what contains cholesterol is not always what raises it.