One of the proposed issues with keto is that it raises your cholesterol. What the heck is that? Is higher levels of cholesterol good or bad? Why does keto affect it? Is it true that keto can harm your heart? In this series, we covered the basics of cholesterol and the types of fat so you can make your own informed decision on whether keto will make a negative or positive impact on your health. Now, it’s time for my conclusion on cholesterol and keto.
A Review of Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in our cells. On the plus side, it helps make hormones and vitamin D, as well as helps us to digest our food. On the minus side, it can build up and block our blood flow, leading to heart disease, stroke, or even death. That is definitely something to avoid.
There are two types of cholesterol your doctor will discuss with you. HDL, or high density lipoprotein, is the “good” cholesterol. HDL takes cholesterol to your liver, which in turn, disposes of it. LDL, or low density lipoprotein, is the “bad” cholesterol. This is the stuff that builds up in your arteries. Ideally, you want a higher HDL and a lower LDL.
The Connection Between Cholesterol and Keto
On keto, we eat food that is high in fat. Most of our calories come from fat. And, in the minds of health professionals, fat equals cholesterol. The idea that eating fat can lead to a healthier life is such a departure from the low-fat era that many health professionals reject it completely. However, the fact is that people on keto lose weight, and weight loss leads to lower LDL levels. It’s all about the fat we eat.
The Fats, Cholesterol and Keto
There are three types of fat that we reviewed in this series. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. There are two sources of saturated fats. One is from sugary foods, fast food, fried food, and processed meats. This source is not keto or health friendly, although I do occasionally have pepperoni and bacon. The other source is from full fat dairy products, meat and coconut. These sources are not separated in the eyes of doctors, but new research is showing there are significant differences between them.
Unsaturated fat is the next type. These are fats that are liquid at room temperature. They come from nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocados. Omega-3’s are also included in this type of food, and they are important for our health. We get them primarily from our food, such as fatty fish and shellfish.
The third type is trans fats. They are from heating liquid oils in a process called hydrogenation. These fats are out to kill you. Avoid these fats. They are often found in commercially baked, sugary foods like cookies, pies, and cakes. They are also found in fried foods, although not as much as they once were. Many government agencies are banning trans fats from our food. Make sure you check the label for trans fats and the ingredients listing partially hydrogenated oils.
My Overall Thoughts on Cholesterol and Keto
The research is still out on the long term effects of eating so we are burning fat rather than carbs. We’ve heard for decades that fat is bad and carbs are good. So, to turn everything on its head is hard. What I personally have found from the research I have reviewed is that fats that occur naturally are generally okay. Fats that we add or process are not. I try to stay away from trans and saturated fats that are in fried foods and baked goods. Luckily, these items are not particularly keto friendly.
The bottom line is that it is your health and your body. I would suggest to anyone starting keto to get blood work done so you have a baseline of where you are with your cholesterol levels. After about 6 months, once your body has adjusted to burning ketones, go back and get a check up. See where your cholesterol is. For me, my levels are well within normal limits and are down from before I started keto. Proof is in the keto-friendly pudding!
Wendy
