Cholesterol is what type of fat

When it's an inherited condition, it's known as familial hypertriglyceridemia. HDL cholesterol removes extra cholesterol and plaque buildup in your arteries. High cholesterol often has no symptoms, but can lead to serious health issues. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Cholesterol: Is It a Lipid? Medically reviewed by Dr. Function LDL vs. Function of lipids in your body. Low-density lipoproteins vs.

Measuring lipid levels. Tips for managing cholesterol. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Search for:. Unsaturated fats Unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature, are considered beneficial fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a number of other beneficial roles.

Monounsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in: Olive, peanut, and canola oils Avocados Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans Seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds 2. An excellent way to get omega-3 fats is by eating fish times a week. Good plant sources of omega-3 fats include flax seeds, walnuts, and canola or soybean oil. Higher blood omega-3 fats are associated with lower risk of premature death among older adults, according to a study by HSPH faculty. Read more about omega-3 fats in our Ask the Expert with Dr.

Frank Sacks. In trials in which polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats were eaten in place of carbohydrates, these good fats decreased levels of harmful LDL and increased protective HDL. Saturated Fats All foods containing fat have a mix of specific types of fats. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting less than 10 percent of calories each day from saturated fat.

The net effect is as bad for the heart as eating too much saturated fat. In the United States, the biggest sources of saturated fat 12 in the diet are Pizza and cheese Whole and reduced fat milk, butter and dairy desserts Meat products sausage, bacon, beef, hamburgers Cookies and other grain-based desserts A variety of mixed fast food dishes Though decades of dietary advice 13 , 14 suggested saturated fat was harmful, in recent years that idea has begun to evolve.

Investigators looked at the relationship between saturated fat intake and coronary heart disease CHD , stroke, and cardiovascular disease CVD. The long road to phasing-out artificial trans fats For years, only true diet detectives knew whether a particular food contained trans fat.

Fortunately, after a large body of research in the s sounded the alarm on its deleterious health effects, a series of policy initiatives led to the near elimination of artificial trans fat in the U.

However, the road to eliminating trans fat was not so straightforward, and outside the U. Dietary fat is essential to your health. It gives you energy and helps your body absorb vitamins. But some types of fat may play a role in heart disease and stroke. In addition, fat is high in calories. Eating too many calories can lead to weight gain and possibly obesity. Most foods contain a mix of different kinds of fat. For example, canola oil contains some saturated fat but is mostly monounsaturated fat.

In contrast, butter contains some unsaturated fat but is mostly saturated fat. Because saturated fat tends to raise low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Saturated fat occurs naturally in red meat and dairy products. It's also found in baked goods and fried foods. Trans fat occurs naturally in small amounts in red meat and dairy products. Trans fat can also be manufactured by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. This artificial form of trans fat is known as partially hydrogenated oil. It has unhealthy effects on cholesterol levels and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. For this reason, partially hydrogenated oil can no longer be added to foods in the U.

Studies show that eating foods rich in unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke.

One type in particular — omega-3 fatty acid — appears to boost heart health by improving cholesterol levels, reducing blood clotting, reducing irregular heartbeats and slightly lowering blood pressure. You don't have to cut fat from your diet. But be smart about the amount and type of fat you choose. Remember fat is high in calories. Choose foods rich in healthier unsaturated fat instead of foods high in saturated fat, not in addition to them.

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The general recommendations are:. You can lower your cholesterol through heart-healthy lifestyle changes. They include a heart-healthy eating plan , weight management , and regular physical activity. If the lifestyle changes alone do not lower your cholesterol enough, you may also need to take medicines.

There are several types of cholesterol-lowering drugs available, including statins. If you take medicines to lower your cholesterol, you still should continue with the lifestyle changes. Some people with familial hypercholesterolemia FH may receive a treatment called lipoprotein apheresis. This treatment uses a filtering machine to remove LDL cholesterol from the blood.

Then the machine returns the rest of the blood back to the person. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Cholesterol Also called: Hypercholesterolemia, Hyperlipidemia, Hyperlipoproteinemia. Learn More Specifics Genetics. See, Play and Learn Videos and Tutorials.

Resources Find an Expert. What is cholesterol? Different types of lipoproteins have different purposes: HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. It is sometimes called "good" cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver.