As mouth-watering as that oozing bacon double cheeseburger might look, the potential price of eating it can be costly.
It is a well-known fact that having high cholesterol can lead to heart disease and heart attacks, and eventually cost you your life. New evidence suggests that it can affect not only your waistline—but also your wallet—when it comes to health insurance and life insurance premiums.
There are two kinds of cholesterol, an animal sterol that is normally synthesized by the liver. The good kind is HDL, but the bad kind is LDL, which is mainly developed by eating too much saturated fat and cholesterol from other animals. Another significant factor is a lack of exercise. Heredity, age and gender all play a role in determining your HDL and LDL levels.
Statistics show that a person with a high level of bad cholesterol (LDL) will pay higher health and life insurance premiums than someone with average health. In very rare cases, such individuals may even be denied insurance coverage.
Sneak Attack: Some Foods That Contribute to High Cholesterol Might Surprise You
1. Whole milk dairy products: Contain high levels of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. Chose non-fat milk and dairy products.
2. Baked Goods: That muffin may look cute and harmless, but foods made with butter and hydrogenated oils can increase cholesterol levels. Making it with margarine is just a ruse. Both butter and margarine need to be used in moderation.
3. Cholesterol-free goods: These items are tricky. While they may lack dietary cholesterol, they will contain saturated and trans fats, which contribute significantly to high cholesterol. Bottom line? Always read nutritional labels!
4.Chewy/Gummy Candies: These types of candy use partially hydrogenated oils to maintain their consistency. Surprised? You won’t be if you read the nutritional labels.
5. Chicken: Beware your choice of cuts. Skinless chicken breasts (which contain white meat) will be your best option here.
6. Eggs: These are certainly good sources of protein, but including them in your diet should preclude other sources of cholesterol. One egg, according to the American Heart Association, contains about 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. (Note: The AHA’s daily-recommended cholesterol limit is less than 300 milligrams for people with normal LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.)
Sources: Erin Palinski, RD, LDN, CDN, CPT (Franlkin, New Jersey);
American Heart Association.
