Xiao Mei, a 25-year-old office clerk, gradually discovered her body was leaning towards being overweight due to long hours of sitting work and lack of exercise. In her daily life, she is not fond of physical activities and prefers to stay at home binge-watching TV series during leisure time, often accompanied by high-calorie foods such as milk tea and fried chicken.
During a company-organized health check-up, Xiao Mei was diagnosed with high blood lipids, with specific values for triglycerides at 2.8mmol/L (normal range 0.45~1.70mmol/L) and cholesterol at 7.8mmol/L (normal range 2.83~5.20mmol/L). The doctor advised her to reduce intake of greasy foods, increase physical activity, and adjust her diet by consuming more vegetables.
Following the doctor’s advice, Xiao Mei tried to change her dietary habits by reducing the intake of greasy foods like braised pork and fried chicken. However, her love for French fries remained unchanged, consuming them daily and considering potatoes as vegetables, believing they have minimal impact on blood lipids. Even in busy times, she would have a meal with just French fries to fill her up.
Two months later, Xiao Mei found that her weight had not decreased but instead increased. Upon rechecking her blood lipids, the values were higher than before. After the doctor inquired about Xiao Mei’s dietary habits, a sensible diet plan was devised for her. Xiao Mei began to adjust her diet according to the plan and gradually increased outdoor physical activities. A month later, she not only lost weight but also saw a decrease in her blood lipid levels.
This case raised a common question: Why does consuming only potatoes and vegetables lead to an increase in blood lipids?
Does frequent consumption of potatoes raise blood lipids?
High blood lipids are a common health issue among modern people, mainly involving cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Lipid transport depends on lipoproteins, which combine with cholesterol or triglycerides to circulate in the blood, playing a role in lipid transport.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood is primarily responsible for transporting cholesterol synthesized by the liver throughout the body. If LDL levels are too high, it may lead to lipid deposition on blood vessel walls, thereby promoting the formation of atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In contrast, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is beneficial for cardiovascular health as it helps lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
Blood lipids can be broadly divided into exogenous and endogenous sources. Exogenous lipids mainly come from the diet, where the small intestine absorbs fats from consumed food, which then combines with lipoproteins and enters the blood. Endogenous lipids are produced within the body, especially in the liver through the metabolism of sugar or fat tissues. Therefore, assessing whether a food can lead to high blood lipids mainly involves considering its fat and sugar content.
Take potatoes as an example, they contain 16.5 grams of sugar and only 0.2 grams of fat per 100 grams. Compared to rice and lean pork, potatoes have lower fat and sugar content, so they are not considered a primary source of high blood lipids. Additionally, potatoes contain relatively high plant protein, with 2.0 grams of protein per 100 grams, a value higher than many other vegetables.
However, excessive consumption of potatoes can still affect blood lipid levels. The “Chinese Dietary Guidelines” recommend that the daily intake of starchy foods should be kept under 100 grams. It is particularly important to note that cooking methods significantly impact the nutritional value of food.
For instance, frying potatoes significantly increases their fat content, which may lead to an increase in blood lipids. Potatoes themselves are healthy ingredients, but improper cooking methods may not be conducive to blood lipid health.
Therefore, in daily diet, it is essential not only to pay attention to food selection but also to cooking methods to maintain healthy blood lipid levels and cardiovascular health.
The real foods that raise blood lipids are these 2 types
To maintain healthy blood lipid levels, focusing on dietary choices is crucial. Two types of foods that require particular attention are high sugar and high-fat foods, which will now be elaborated on:
High sugar foods: High sugar foods mainly consist of two categories: one directly containing high sugar content like cane sugar, honey, and another with high glycemic index foods, such as rice, bread, and some refined carbohydrates. These foods can rapidly break down into glucose in the human body, causing a quick rise in blood sugar.
When the body intakes excessive sugar, it converts to fat storage, potentially leading to elevated blood lipids. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the intake of these foods in daily diet and offset the excess energy through adequate exercise to maintain a healthy body fat ratio.
High-fat foods: High-fat foods are mainly divided into two types: foods rich in fatty acids and foods containing high cholesterol. Fried foods, animal fats (such as lard) rich in saturated fatty acids, can easily lead to excess energy and elevated blood lipids. Unsaturated fatty acids in vegetable oils such as olive oil, peanut oil are beneficial to the body, but the intake should be controlled within appropriate limits. It is generally recommended that adults’ daily cooking oil usage should not exceed 30 grams. Animal offal, like pig brains, liver, with high cholesterol content, excessive consumption can lead to high blood lipids, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Two common misconceptions about blood lipids
In maintaining healthy blood lipid levels, several common misconceptions exist, while correct understanding and practices are essential. The following will detail two common misconceptions and the key strategies to address them:
Misconception one: Thin equals healthy and no risk of high blood lipids
Many people believe that only obese individuals face high blood lipid problems and lean individuals naturally avoid such diseases. This is a significant misconception. In reality, even lean individuals, if they have poor dietary habits like frequent consumption of high-fat, greasy foods, may also lead to elevated blood lipids. Therefore, regardless of body size, attention should be paid to balanced nutrition, moderate intake of dietary fiber, and high-protein foods to maintain healthy blood lipid levels.
Misconception two: Asymptomatic means no treatment necessary
Many individuals think that as long as they do not exhibit clear health problems or symptoms, they consider themselves healthy and do not need to pay much attention to blood lipid levels. This notion overlooks a fact: high blood lipids often do not show apparent symptoms in the early stages, but long-term high blood lipids can silently damage vascular health, leading to atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of blood clots, and ultimately causing serious health issues like coronary heart disease and stroke.
Key strategies:
Balanced diet: Consuming a balanced mix of nutrients, reducing intake of high-fat, high-sugar foods, increasing the proportion of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods rich in dietary fiber. Regular exercise: Moderate physical activity helps improve blood lipid levels, strengthen cardiovascular functions. It is recommended to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week, such as brisk walking, swimming, etc.
The issue of high blood lipids needs sufficient attention. Through reasonable dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments, timely health checks, for cases of abnormal blood lipids, appropriate treatment measures should be taken according to the doctor’s advice. Early intervention and treatment are crucial for preventing chronic diseases related to blood lipids.
