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How Much Cholesterol Should You Have in a Day?

We must understand cholesterol is not evil. Some of the hormones required for survival and normal functioning as well as sex hormones and vitamin D are derived from cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed; it has value. However, your body does produce some of its own as well. This makes the question of how much cholesterol you need to consume each day more challenging to answer.

  1. Good and Bad Cholesterol

    • Cholesterol can be good or bad. The good cholesterol is the one that carries fats from other tissues to the liver. The bad cholesterol carries fat from the liver to the other tissues and deposits them there, like sludge. It is usually this sludge that blocks the blood vessels and may result in heart attack, stroke and other health issues. These fatty deposits also makes the blood vessel wall lose its elasticity and become stiff. So, diets rich in good cholesterol and low in bad cholesterol are the goal.

    Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids

    • Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are frequently discussed as good healthy choices. The most important thing to remember is that the plant sources of fats are rich in PUFA and it results in improved blood cholesterol levels. This is the good fat. It surprises no one who has been exposed to mass media in any form that animal fats are saturated and can worsen cholesterol levels in blood. But vegetable fats also contain some saturated fat, the bad fat. Fats created through the hydrogenation of vegetable oils and called trans fats may be the worst of all.

    Cholesterol Dietary Recommendations

    • Most health organizations recommend limiting fat intake to under 30 percent of daily calories. This generic reduction is no longer appropriate since as mentioned earlier, the type of fat taken in is more important and quantity is only secondary. So, replacing about 30 percent of carbohydrate diet in a day with trans fat will double the risk of heart disease whereas replacing the same with unsaturated fats will decrease the risk by 30 to 40 percent.

    Lifestyle Modification and Cholesterol Consumption

    • Instead of cutting back all cholesterol, you can make some lifestyle modifications to improve health and reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. For example, reduce your consumption of red meat, increase the sources of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet (fish, soy beans and walnuts, for example) and eliminate trans fats from your food as much as possible.

    Cholesterol and Your Levels

    • If you are at high risk for heart disease, your physician may recommend limiting your intake of cholesterol by a specific amount. He or she may also be able to provide you with specific dietary guidelines based on your health needs. Additionally, medications can be prescribed to prevent the absorption of consumed cholesterol. If you're looking for concrete numbers, the American Heart Association recommends less than 300 mg per day for healthy people and less than 200 mg per day for people who have heart disease or who are at high risk for heart disease. Remember these are just guidelines and the type of cholesterol you are consuming is more important than strictly adhering to these numbers.

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