What’s so bad about cholestrol?
Cholesterol is, in fact, neither a fat molecule nor a wax-like substance. In blood it is embedded in fat for protection, due to which some people consider it a fatty substance. The word cholesterol originated from the Greek chol meaning ‘bile’ and steros meaning ‘solid’ and the suffix ‘ol’ for alcohol. Hence cholesterol is termed as a solid alcohol. Cholesterol cannot be classified as fat as it does not yield energy whereas fat does. Ever since it was isolated from gallstones in 1784 it has exerted almost hypnotic fascination for scientists from the most diverse areas of science and medicine. As many as 13 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to scientists devoted to its research.
It is synthesised in liver in the ratio of one gram per day or derived from high cholesterol containing diets of animal origin. Out of one gram about 0.7 to 0.8 gram is consumed and utilised by the body for the performance of various physiological functions and biochemical processes for our benefit.
Benefits of cholesterol:
— It is a crucial body component that provides rigidity to body cells
— Cholesterol is needed in the body to make sex hormones including androgen, testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone for vigour and vitality.
— It assists in proper utilisation of vitamin D which is critical for all body systems including the bones, nerves, proper growth, mineral metabolism, muscle tone, fertility and strong immunity.
— It helps the liver make bile acid, which is crucial for digestive process and absorption of dietary fats.
— It functions as a powerful antioxidant in the body and protects tissues from damage caused by free radicals.
— Cholesterol is vital for proper functioning of the brain, and is used by serotonin (body’s natural “feel good” chemical) receptors.
— Breast milk is rich in cholesterol; it is needed for proper growth and development of the brain, nervous system and immune function of babies and young children.
— It is necessary for proper functioning of the intestines and maintaining the strength of the intestinal wall. Low cholesterol diets can lead to digestive problems such as leaky gut syndrome.
— Cholesterol is critical to repair damaged cells; that is why its levels rise as we age as it may be beneficial to the elderly.
— Cholesterol is also required to build and maintain body tissues.
— It envelops and insulates nerves helping to conduct nerve impulses.
— It has also been implicated in cell signalling processes.
— In the liver cholesterol is converted into bile, which is stored in gall bladder; bile helps in the digestion of fat in the body and other important fat-soluble vitamins such A, D, E and K. Conversion of cholesterol into bile acid, however, is also an act of excretion of cholesterol as neutral sterol.
— It also elaborates hormones of adrenal cortex which regulate electrolyte balance and metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein.
While we are talking about the benefits of cholesterol let’s be clear that we are talking about natural cholesterol in whole foods in unprocessed state; oxidised cholesterol that is found in processed foods should best be avoided.