Cholesterol...GOAL?

Options
supermariocycling
supermariocycling Posts: 17 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone else find it strange that there is a number in the GOAL column for cholesterol?

The goal for cholesterol INTAKE should be 0 (zero). Mine says 300 mg. That may be the FDA or RDA guideline limit or number to not exceed, but there are NO benefits to ingestion of cholesterol. Yes, we all need cholesterol, the good kind, not the bad kind. However, you can't eat the good kind, you can only eat the bad kind. Good cholesterol is made inside your body by providing it with the right balance of nutrients.

I wonder if that is why people struggle sometimes with cholesterol? They see a number for the goal and monitor/read labels in an attempt to get cholesterol.

Replies

  • cacrat
    cacrat Posts: 336 Member
    Options
    Haha, good call. But some people do need to have a fixed limit to everything. Not everything that MFP puts on as a "goal" is a good thing, or even required. But for the most part, MFP is getting the ball rolling for a lot of people and helping them be more conscious about what they're eating. And if that's MFP's "goal" then great!
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
    Options
    I don't pay attention to the cholesterol, I know I'm getting it because I eat eggs, whole eggs on a regular basis. I also eat a lot of fiber so I'm not worried about it, I recall the "hot debate" that eggs were bad for you, oh no they're good for you, and now they seem to be saying that the cholesterol we consume doesn't actually affect your blood counts or whatever it is that much, too much debate for me. My grandparents ate eggs daily, my grandparents ate butter etc and are into their 90's.

    I guess what I mean is that if I'm getting cholesterol but it's from an entirely natural food I'm not going to worry about it. Processed stuff? there's no call for it to be in there at all.
  • soysos
    soysos Posts: 187 Member
    Options
    every cell in the body requires cholesterol to function properly. the body does produce MOST of what is needed, but not all, in most cases. there is also a difference between what is produced by the body and what is consumed. actually its not the cholesterol that is different, its the proteins that carry it. most of what the body produces is carried by low destiny lipoproteins, which deliver the cholesterol to the cells, and store the rest, like say in your arteries. the cholesterol that is consumed is mostly carried by high density lipoproteins, HDLs also deliver the cholesterol to the cells, but they have a habit of picking up whatever the LDLs have stored, and when they're full go out with the garbage.

    when people start having issues with cholesterol it is usually caused by a diet high in saturated fats, as well as hydrogenated fats (trans fats) which cause the liver to produce more cholesterol. since there is so much already stored in the body it starts rejecting any outside sources. the end result high LDL with low HDL.
  • BryanAir
    BryanAir Posts: 434
    Options
    Pretty much all eukaryotes produce some cholesterol, so unless you intend to go on a prokaryote diet you can't have 0 cholesterol ingested. I wouldn't suggest a prokaryote diet as bacteria and archaea just don't make a satisfying meal.
  • zorbaru
    zorbaru Posts: 1,077 Member
    Options
    the Goal column is poorly named.

    for some it is a maximum, such as cholesterol, calories etc and for others it is a minimum such as protein.

    it would be good if it was red if you are on the wrong side of this number whether it is above or below. ie, for protein it goes red when you are above that figure, when in fact being above is good and below is bad.

Categories