FOOD OF THE WEEK – Pepper - part 3

A closer look at the effects of Pepper in our diets

I am often asked whether it true that people who eat diets high in hot peppers are healthier than those who do not.  I recall being informed as a child, that eating a lot of hot pepper (scotch bonnet) is good for you and helps you fight colds and strengthens your immunity; boosts your memory and improves flexibility of joints.

Soooooooo – is this true?

Well, let’s get back to the substance in hot peppers that makes it hot and peppery. The component that gives hot pepper its ‘bite’ is called Capsaicin. 

Remember the Colville scale? This measures how hot a pepper is, better still it’s level of Capsaicin.

It has been reported that peppers high in Capsaicin are a good source of pain relief, as they can cause numbness to nerve endings. Several researchers also mention blood circulation, weight loss and treatment of prostate cancer as benefits to be reaped from peppers high in Capsaicin. A review of this work is inconclusive, as much of the research has been in rats or mice.  Where humans have been involved not all study methods can be used to prove such claims. There has been a study in 2015 in China that claimed to show that people who ate spicy curry three times a week lived longer – the research method was not robust enough to uphold this claim.

So let’s see what happens when we eat hot pepper:

Mouth - Peppers with high levels of Capsaicin can have an effect on the mouth by causing a burning sensation. High levels of hot peppers can be caustic to the membranes in the mouth, especially where it is not a regular part of your diet. Some schools of thought recommend ice cream or banana to rid the discomfort.

Digestion - The heat of the capsaicin can cause reflux and heartburn when the pepper reaches your stomach and interacts with the acid there. This also can result in nausea. As the pepper passes through your digestive system it can cause painful burning diarrhoea. It is worth noting that the more often you eat it, the less the symptoms occur as your body tends to build a tolerance to the levels.

There is no enough evidence to show that peppers cause ulcers – but the heat will definitely irritate existing ulcers

Eating hot peppers of any type can cause indigestion, particularly if you do not usually have them in your diet.

Peppers and Weight Loss - There are several claims that hot peppers can help weight loss. This is not entirely the case. Although Capsaicin has been shown to boost metabolism as well as suppress appetite, slightly, there is little evidence of actual weight loss. Much of the research has been in laboratory mice.

 Dried black pepper contains a substance called Piperine. It has been shown to decrease the formation of fat cells in mice. There is little evidence that black pepper helps weight loss in humans. Black pepper has been known to cause symptoms of indigestion: nausea, bloating, belching, the feeling of fullness and pain felt in the chest cavity.  Black pepper can cause acid levels in your oesophagus to increase, leading to common symptoms. If you develop vomiting, black stools, unexpected weight loss, yellowing of the skin or have trouble swallowing after eating black pepper, call your doctor immediately.

Black pepper is  calorie-free and won't raise your blood pressure. Just don't count on it to slim down. (Zelman,KM, 2014)

Increasing Capsaicin in Your Diet

Building up your tolerance for capsaicin can mean you experience fewer side effects when eating very spicy foods. If you are not used to spicy foods at all, start with only mildly spicy peppers, such as pasilla chilies.

You can also reduce the heat in chili peppers by removing the seeds and veins -- the white portion on the inside of the pepper -- because these parts contain the highest concentration of capsaicin.

You can also ‘tame’ your chili intake by combining it with naturally sweet or sour foods, such as by adding hot peppers to a mango salsa. The sugar from the mango and the sourness of the lime juice will alter the taste of the chili.

In a nutshell there you have it. Enjoy your peppers to match your tolerance, and be aware of the effects.

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/diabetes-resources/definitions/capsaicin/

http://www.webmd.com/diet/peppers-health-benefits?page=1

FOOD OF THE WEEK

PEPPER - part 2

Peppers come in a kaleidoscope of colours – from green, red , yellow and orange to deep purple! They are generally good sources of vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid, and fibre. Some are hot and spicy, others are sweet and tangy. 

The Capsicum Bell pepper comes in green, orange, yellow, and red. Red peppers tend to have the highest levels of nutrients because they've been on the vine longest. Green peppers are harvested earlier, before they have a chance to turn yellow, orange, and then red. Compared to green bell peppers, the red ones have almost 11 times more beta-carotene (used for making Vitamin A) and 1.5 times more vitamin C.  Red peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C.  A red pepper is thought to have as much, if not more vitamin C than an orange. (180 mg per 100g in red bell pepper; compared with 53% in 100g)

One of the reasons that people eat pepper is for their flavor and ‘hotness’ they bring to foods. I will be discussing the effects of eating peppers on my next blog. But for now lets look at the reasons why some peppers are hotter than others.

Hotness of Peppers: Capsaicin is the substance that gives peppers their hotness. It is a colourless bitter compound. All red peppers contain capsaicin, it is found principally in their flesh and especially in their seeds and inner membranes. 

The “hotness” of the various red peppers is directly related to the amount of capsaicin in the fruit.  A scale for measuring the hotness of all peppers was developed by a gentleman called W. Scoville in 1912.  The Scoville scale  is based on how diluted an extract of a pepper can be made, and still be detected by the human palate. 

Example: Habanero pepper has a rating of about 100,000 to 300,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU);  bell or sweet peppers, with little or no capsaicin, are assigned a value of 0 or 1.

Besides causing our taste buds to send nerve impulses to our brains to be interpreted as “hot”, capsaicin also reddens the skin when applied externally. Harvesters of hot peppers have been known to suffer with sight problems from forgetting to wash their hands after handling hot peppers! It is important to wash your hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers – and to refrain from making contact with eyes and face and other sensitive areas.

What about Black and White pepper?  Black pepper comes from the berries of the pepper plant. Black pepper, green pepper and white peppercorns are actually the same fruit (Piper nigrum); the difference in their colour is a reflection of varying stages of development and processing methods. Black peppercorns are made by picking the pepper berries when they are half ripe and just about to turn red. They are then left to dry which causes them to shrivel and become dark in color. Alternatively, green peppercorns are picked while still unripe and green in color, while white peppercorns are picked when very ripe and subsequently soaked in brine to remove their dark outer shell leaving just the white pepper seed.

 Red Peppers are unrelated to black pepper and white pepper.  Black pepper and white pepper come from a vine native to India.  black pepper is the unripened fruit (peppercorn) that has been dried in the sun.  White Pepper is the ripened fruit that has been soaked and rubbed to remove the outer covering.

From the Coleville scale you will see that the Bell papers are very low in ‘hotness’, and gradually we see the level of Capsaicin increases as we proceed up the scale. A Jalepeno – common in Mexican dishes is 2,500 – 8,000 units, compared to the Jamaican hot – which is 100,000 to 200,000 units. 

The scotch bonnet is commonly used in West Africa (known as Ata rodo in Nigeria) and West Indian dishes is quite high on the scale. The highest and most peppery pepper is 1,463, 700 units. This is the Trinidadian Scorpion; some charts show this as the Californian Reaper…either way it is HOT!

So how hot is your pepper?

Food of the Week - PEPPER

Food of the week: PEPPER    

What is it?

A very versatile seed bearing food from the Capiscum family. Peppers come in a variety of types. Peppers are characterised by their colour, shape and how peppery they are! The heat of peppers is measured on a scale called the Scoville scale.

Where does it come from? Peppers grow in a variety of countries – they tend to do best in a warm to hot climate.

What is the big deal?  They are low in calories and exceptionally rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, making them an excellent addition to a healthy diet. They bring flavour and excitement to some meals. Peppers have been associated with other medicinal properties too.

Other fact : In certain ethnic groups; particularly West African – a dietary intake high in hotter peppers is thought  to make you less disease prone!  By the way pepper is actually a fruit!

 More to follow...

FOOD OF THE WEEK - more on AVOCADO..

More on AVOCADO...

Hopefully by now you have tried avocado – if you have, or you are a regular eater, please post on our page your ways of preparing and eating it.

Do you spread it on toast? Do you make your own guacamole? 

Do you eat it alone, with a dash pepper and lime? 

Do you slice it into salads or do you even use it for cake fillings? 

Perhaps you add it to smoothies…whatever the case …we want to know!

Please post – with pictures if possible!

Did you know that many people end up cutting themselves or sustaining injury trying to cut or peel avocado? We don’t want that – so here is a link of how do it – simply and safely!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0fUd-B5-m0

 Caution:

On an even more serious note - allergies to Avocado do occur, though thought to be quite rare. Such an allergy is a particularly higher risk  in people who are allergic to latex, bananas, tomatoes, kiwi or chestnuts.

 Please exercise caution, especially if you are allergic to latex, as avocado has the potential to cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.

If you eat avocado and experience swelling around the mouth, hives (urticaria), trouble breathing or difficulty swallowing, seek emergency medical care.

If you have an allergic reaction to avocado, let your doctor know so you can be tested for allergy to latex and other fruit.

FOOD OF THE WEEK - AVOCADO Part 1.

 AVOCADO

Why is it good for you?

Avocado has been dubbed a 'superfood' because of its impressive nutrient profile. Also known as an ‘alligator pear’ or ‘butter fruit’, avocado is the only fruit that provides a substantial amount of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA).

Studies suggest that diets high in Monounsaturated fats – in particular the  ‘Mediterranean diet’ can help lower LDL or bad cholesterol and increase HDL or good-cholesterol; the overall effect of this helps prevent coronary artery disease and stroke.

How can a high fat food be good for you?

A large avocado can contain as many as 400 calories. Between 71% to 88% of these total calories comes from fat.  A typical avocado contains 30 grams of fat, but 20 of these fat grams are health-promoting monounsaturated fats. Avocado contains about 20 times the average for other fruits.

It is important to note that any type of fat, in excess amounts will make you fat. By this I mean good fats like monounsaturated fats must be eaten with the mindset that excess fat calories – even from a superfood; can contribute towards obesity. It is important therefore to incorporate avocado as part of a healthy intake. Enjoy it in moderation.

Other Nutrients and their effects: 

The combination of vitamins B6, C and D, Riboflavin and Manganese found in avocados helps maintain a strong immune system.

They are also a good source of vitamins A and E, which help protect against cancer. Avocados are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces the risk of heart disease. They also contain Lecithin, a type of fatty acid crucial for healthy nervous tissue.

Their creamy pulp is a very good source of mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids as well as omega-6 poly-unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid.

Avocados are a very good source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. Dietary fibre helps lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent constipation.

Avocados are also excellent sources of minerals like iron, copper and magnesium. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Iron and copper are required in the production of red blood cells.

Did you know?

An 80g portion counts towards your 5-a-day .

Avocado....Pretty impressive – huh?

Food of the Week - Sugar part 4

SUGAR   Part 4.

So far this week, we have looked at some of the myths around sugar intake and I have really, really, really pushed for you to take positive action by using the Change for Life – sugar smart app.

https://vimeo.com/149674051

It is a clever little piece that I would advise you try if you are serious about lowering your added sugar intake, which will in turn lower your risks for obesity, tooth decay and other diseases.

Please don’t think I am ‘anti-sugar’– in fact it’s almost impossible to eat a diet totally void of sugar!  Rather, it is the excess intake that we must address.

If you are wondering where or how to start lowering your sugar intake, begin by ceasing to add any more sugar to foods or drinks. Then begin to cut back, it’s amazing how quickly you can ‘train’ your palate to accept less sugar. Cereals can be a good food to begin with – stop adding sugar or honey, avoid the sweetened variety and go for whole wheat; low sugar variants.

Then begin checking your consumption of drinks, (see below for sugar content in beverages) some may be very high in sugar – aim to drink less of them or cut them out completely. Others may be a surprise to you!

Estimated sugar content in common drinks.
Taken from BMA article in DailyMail pub13.7.15

Then consider your snacks and decide to cut down on sugary snacks and use the app to help you with sugar swaps.

I wanted to touch upon Sugar Substitutes before signing off this week. Many people are confused about the safety of sugar substitutes, and unclear on what they are. 

Hopefully I can shed some light:

1.    POLYOLS:  these are compounds known as ‘sugar alcohols’ and include erythritol, isomalt, maltitol,mannitol,sorbitol and xylitol. 

They can be natural or artificially produced. Polyols contain carbohydrates and calories, but they have fewer calories and less of an effect on blood glucose levels than sugar.  Polyols are usually used in products marketed as ‘diabetic’ or ‘suitable for diabetics’ Consuming large amounts of polyols can have a laxative effect, causing bloating, flatulence and diarrhoea. They are not recommended for people with diabetes anymore and people with Diabetes are advised to avoid them

2.    

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS:

These are also called ‘Non nutritive sweeteners.

There are various artificial sweeteners licensed for use in the UK.

These include: 

·      Aspartame: used in Canderel, Hermesetas granulated  

·      Saccharin: used in Hermesetas mini sweeteners 

·      Sucralose: used in Splenda 

·      Acesulfame potassium (acesulfame-K): used in Hermesetas Gold sweetener

·      Cyclamate: used in Hermesetas liquid.

Some products are made from a combination of two artificial sweeteners.

Sweeteners are commonly found in ‘sugar-free’ or ‘diet’ foods and drinks, diet fizzy drinks, fruit juices, jellies, yogurts, chewing gums and many other foods.

Stevia plant:

This is quite a new group of non-nutritive sweeteners. They include naturally sourced, calorie-free sweeteners made from the stevia plant, eg Truvia and Stevia. They are 200–300 times sweeter than sugar and are heat stable, so can be used in cooking and baking. 

                           

Are sweeteners safe?

There has been, and continues to be, some bad publicity and controversies about certain artificial sweeteners. It’s worth noting that all non-nutritive sweeteners used in foods in the EU have to undergo rigorous safety testing before being approved by the European Commission.

Food ingredient manufacturers have to provide evidence from safety studies showing that the sweetener in question:

·      doesn’t cause any adverse effects, including cancer

·      doesn’t affect reproduction

·      doesn’t cause allergic reactions

·      isn’t stored within the body, or metabolised into other potentially unsafe products.

Your choice:

Whether you use sweeteners or not is up to you. They can be useful but it is important to note that they are 1000s of times sweeter than sugar and need only to be used in very small amounts. Use of sweeteners DOES NOT really address the need for that sweet taste though. 

This is worth noting when trying to ‘retrain' our taste buds.  There has also been quite a bit if speculation as to the effect some sweeteners have on appetite, and whether they increase desire to eat more.

Hope this is short and sweet enough!

FOOD OF THE WEEK - SUGAR Part 3

Today’s blog is aimed at parents and carers of children. 

It is noted in the UK that children are consuming too much sugar. This is alarming.

This places our children at risk of obesity, dental caries (tooth decay)  and fatty liver. Eventually if left unchecked, this can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers.

As parents we must be armed with information to ensure we buy the most suitable foods for our young ones.

Remember - There is no such thing as a healthy sugar! 

Sugar is sugar – it doesn’t matter what type it is.

Reading labels is important. Sometimes it is difficult to know if a food is high in sugar because the actual word ‘sugar’ is not always used.

Some of the names used to describe sugar on food labels

The Change 4 Life campaign has some extremely useful tools to promote nutritional health . One is the SUGAR SMART APP. Please use the sugar smart app to help you recognise how much sugar is in your foods.

It is really easy to use – see the link below:

https://vimeo.com/149674051

Please do watch this with your children if you can – let's wage war against excess sugar – for their sakes and indeed their purpose in life!

FOOD OF THE WEEK - SUGAR part 2.

 

Welcome to part 2 of our F4P blog on SUGAR. 

Hopefully this will bring further insight to help you make healthy choices about your intake.

Do we need sugar? 

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that provides energy for the body in the form of glucose. In particular the brain needs glucose to function, as do muscles during exercise. Without adding sugar to our diet, the carbohydrate (starchy foods) we eat are broken down to glucose. So we generally we really don’t need to eat sugary foods for energy.

Which sugars should we limit?

Some sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruit, vegetables and milk, while others are added during processing. These added sugars are the ones which need our careful attention. Foods such as chocolates, sweets, biscuits and cakes, which can contain a lot of added sugars often only provide calories without significant amounts of micronutrients – you will often hear these called ‘empty calories.’

Frequent consumption of sugar, sugary foods and drinks can increase the risk of tooth decay. Therefore, it is important that we monitor our intake of sugars and cut down to sensible limits

What is sensible limit?

Added sugars shouldn't make up more than 5% of the energy (calorie intake) you get from food and drink each day. This is about 30g of sugar a day for those aged 11 and over.

Fruit juice and honey also count as added sugars, as they're sometimes added to foods to make them sweeter.  Packaged shop bought Fruit juice is still a healthy choice (one 150ml serving counts towards your 5 a day). However, the sugars can damage your teeth, so it's best to drink it with a meal and no more than one serving a day.

The truth about smoothies

If you are a fan of juicing, please note the difference in eating a fruit and ‘drinking that fruit.’ When eaten in its natural form, the sugar in the fruit is less likely to cause tooth decay because it is contained within the food and the sugars are associated with fibre which slowly releases the sugar. When juicing, imagine how many fruit you may use to make up a glass – it can sometimes be well above what you would eat. For example – it can up to 9 oranges to make up a glass of juice; and because the sugars are released during they can do more harm.

For children it is best to avoid juices and encourage fresh fruit and water. Also, introducing vegetables and less fruit; as part of your juicing regime, may help reduce sugar load. Experiment with different vegetables such as cucumber, kale, chard or spinach.  

The bottom line - sugars are released during the juicing process. Sugars in whole pieces of fruit are less likely to cause tooth decay because they are contained within the food. Intact sugars eaten as part of the fruit are less likely to cause tooth decay. You shouldn't cut down on fruit as it's an important part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Juicing and smoothies

Juicing, which is different to blending or pulping, extracts the water and nutrients from a fruit or vegetable while discarding the tough fibre which aids the digestive system. We need the fibre to slow down the release of the sugars in fruit.

A report by Prof Barry Popkin, from the Nutrition dept. of North Carolina University in 2007; advised that drinking smoothies and blended fruit juices can have the unintended consequence of massively increasing the amount of sugar a person consumes.

He said people were deceiving themselves about their sugar intake by swapping fizzy drinks for juices and smoothies. 

See below for an example:

• ·       One popular branded smoothie — “pomegranates, blueberries and acai superfood”— contained 34.3g of sugar in a 250ml bottle (7 teaspoons  sugar)
• ·       500ml bottle of squeezed orange juice sold at a popular food outlet (contained 51g of sugar - over 10 spoons sugar)
• ·       This compares with 39g of sugar in a 330ml can of Coke.(nearly 8 teaspoons of sugar)

Before I sign off for today – please do use this clever app from the Government’s public health platform – Change for Life. 

https://www.nhs.uk/change4life-beta/campaigns/sugar-smart/home

For those with children, get them involved, as it will help them monitor sugar intake.

FOOD OF THE WEEK - SUGAR

 SUGAR - Part 1.

Welcome to part 1 of our informational F4P blog on Sugar.

What is it?

Most people understand the term ‘sugar’ to generally refer to ‘table sugar,’ the type of sugar that we add to our tea and coffee. Sugar belongs to the food group known as carbohydrate.

Where does it come from?

There are two main sources from which sugar is extracted:

1. Sugar Cane – which looks like thick bamboo branches has a woody outer, which once stripped back, reveals sugar rich fibres. It grows in tropical regions, is harvested and undergoes intense refining processes which eventually produces crystals or raw sugar, and black syrup called molasses. The crystals are initially brown, and if further refined (removing more molasses) the result is a lighter product. White sugar is refined raw sugar – which has undergone bleaching.

2. Sugar beet -  is a large pale brown root crop, similar to a parsnip.  It grows in certain parts of Europe and North America. The extraction & production of white sugar from beet also involves intensive refining of the plant -the end result like cane sugar – is the production of sugar crystal.

What is the big deal?
Most adults and children in the UK eat too much sugar.

The government Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) made a recommendation in July 2015 about the amount of “free sugars” we consume.

Free sugars are any sugars added to food or drinks, or found naturally in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices. The concern is that we are consuming too many foods that are high in free sugars or added sugars. Eating these too often can mean you eat more calories than you need, which can lead to weight gain and obesity.

What does it look like?

There are several different types of sugar. The most obvious difference between types is colour.  When sugar has been extracted from the juice of the beet or cane plant, the strong tasting black syrup – molasses; remains.

When white sugar is produced, the molasses are entirely removed, whereas brown sugars retain varying amounts. Basically, the more molasses in brown sugar, the stickier the crystals, the darker the colour and the stronger the flavour, for example: Muscovado sugar.  However, the presence of molasses does not change sugar’s nutritional value. Whether deep brown or bright white – each teaspoon (5g) of sugar is about 20 calories.

These commonly-used sugars vary in colour, flavour and crystal size:

Granulated: all-purpose sugar for general use (‘table’ sugar)

Caster: small grains ensure smooth blending to give even textures in cakes and other baked foods

Icing: milled sugar to give a fine powder.  This provides texture to icings and buttercreams – useful for decorating cakes

Demerara: a brown sugar with larger grains providing crunch and flavour – ideal for use in biscuits and crumbles

Did you know? Your body does not differentiate between white sugar, brown sugar or honey? Gram for gram they are all recognised as sugar, and excess intake can have a negative effect on your health.

Stay with us this week for interesting facts which could revolutionise the way you eat and drink – and positively impact you fulfilling your purpose in life.

http://www.nhs.uk/pages/home.aspx

http://www.sugarnutrition.org.uk/

https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/Sugar.pdf

FOOD OF THE WEEK - EGGS (Part 2)

If I had a gold coin for every time someone told me that “eggs are bad for you,” I would open my own jewellry store!

So why do eggs have a bad reputation with some people?

 Amongst other things -  it seems to be our concern with Cholesterol. Eggs are rich in Cholesterol, especially the egg yolk. They are therefore deemed as bad for us. Knowledge is power – so please keep reading and be empowered!

Who needs to restrict eggs?

Eggs contain cholesterol, however in most cases, it is not cholesterol rich foods (eggs, liver, kidneys and shellfish) that raise blood cholesterol levels. For most people, it is saturated fat that is impacting upon blood cholesterol. It is better to reduce the amount of saturated fat (found in animal fats such as butter, lard, fatty meats and meat products, full fat dairy products as well as pastry, cakes and puddings).  Cutting back on saturated fat will also naturally limit dietary cholesterol.

Are eggs ok then?

Eggs can be eaten as part of a healthy, balanced and varied diet. There is no need to restrict eggs because of cholesterol. It does seem to be more common practice in the US than the UK. Eggs remain a good source of protein and other nutrients. 

About 1 in 500 people have a condition called FH (familial hypercholesterolaemia) and they may need to be more cautious about dietary sources of cholesterol.  This is because people with FH have levels of cholesterol which are often double the normal level.  If you have FH, talk to your doctor or dietitan to see if you need to limit your egg intake.

So what is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance which is mainly made in the body. The liver makes some of the cholesterol from the saturated fats in the foods you eat. Cholesterol cannot be exercised away, sweated out or burned off.  Cholesterol plays a vital role in how every cell works, throughout the body. It is also the material which the body uses to make other vital chemicals. However, having too much cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of getting heart and circulatory disease includes coronary heart disease, stroke, and diseases that affect the circulation such as peripheral arterial disease.

For most people, the amount of saturated fat they eat has much more of an impact on their cholesterol than eating foods that contain cholesterol, like eggs, liver, kidneys and shellfish. Unless you have been told otherwise by your doctor or dietician, if you like eggs, they can be included as part of a balanced and varied diet

What is LDL and HDL?

Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins, and when the two combine they're called lipoproteins. The two main types of lipoprotein are: 

• ·       High-density lipoprotein (HDL) – which carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it's either broken down or passed out of the body as a waste product. For this reason, HDL is referred to as "good cholesterol" and higher levels are better.
• ·       Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – which carries cholesterol to the cells that need it. If there's too much cholesterol for the cells to use, it can build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL is known as "bad cholesterol".

The amount of cholesterol in the blood (both HDL and LDL) can be measured with a blood test. Here are the normal ranges for the UK:

·       Total cholesterol should be 5.0 mmol/L or less.

·       LDL should be 3.0mmol/L or less after an overnight fast.

·       HDL should be 1.2mmol/L or more.

·       Total cholesterol/HDL ratio should be 4.5 or less.

I encourage you to visit your GP to have your blood cholesterol levels checked.

If you need more information about saturated fat, blood cholesterol or another food related health issue – do email me on foodforpurpose@gmail.com

Info sources used:

http://www.webmd.boots.com/cholesterol-management/guide/facts-about-cholesterol

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cholesterol/Pages/Introduction.aspx

https://heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol-and-diet/low-cholesterol-diets-and-foods/can-i-eat-eggs

https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/cholesterol.pdf