How much Cholesterol should we consume from food?

In the past, doctors used to recommend that we should consume no more than 300 milligrams (mg) of dietary cholesterol per day or 200 mg per day if we had a high risk of heart disease. But research now showed that dietary cholesterol itself is not harmful. Cholesterol consumed in food is thought to play a relatively insignificant role in determining blood levels of cholesterol. 

Cholesterol is a natural substance and it is indispensable for the building of cells and for producing stress and sex hormones, as well as vitamin D.

In addition, cholesterol is also important for brain health and helps with the formation of our memories. Low levels of HDL cholesterol have been linked to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease and may also increase our risk of depression, stroke, violent behavior and even suicide. Our body produces all the cholesterol it needs in the liver and intestines from fats, sugars and proteins.

And so the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not lay out the limit for consuming dietary cholesterol from food.

Doctors now recommend that we limit the amount of harmful saturated fats, trans fats and added sugars instead in our diet. This is because when we eat too many saturated and trans fats, it causes our liver to produce too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which winds up in artery-clogging deposits. For this reason, experts generally recommend avoiding trans fats altogether and limiting saturated fats to 10 percent or less of our total calorie intake.

The most recent recommendation by the American Heart Association (AHA) is to further limit saturated fats to only 5 or 6 percent of our total daily calories

Studies have also shown the negative impact the added sugars have on cholesterol and they increase our risk for cardiovascular disease. The AHA recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar for women and 9 teaspoons for men.

Look for beauty for hair, skin and nails ? Try Biotin

Also known as vitamin B-7, or vitamin H (from the German words Haar and Haut, which translate to “hair and skin”), biotin is famous for its external benefits. But more benefits of biotin come from the work it does on the inside.

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin and a member of the B-complex family of vitamins. It is an essential nutrient involved in energy metabolism. More specifically, biotin is a cofactor to five different enzymes that metabolize fat, protein and carbohydrates. Biotin works with our body to produce energy by helping to break down the proteins and fatty acids in our diet. It also plays roles in cellular signaling and gene regulation.

Biotin is best known for providing nutritional support for hair, skin and nails. It is used to make hair less brittle, nails thicker and skin healthier. It may do so by improving our body’s keratin structures. Keratin forms the framework of epithelial cells, which line the surfaces and cavities of the body. It is also the basic protein that makes up our hair, skin and nails and it is responsible for giving them strength and resilience.

While biotin is most often taken to support the health of hair, skin and nails, it may also support energy and cognitive health as well as healthy nerves and muscles.

Biotin for Hair

Research results suggest that biotin may help significantly boost the thickness and growth of hair.

Biotin for Skin

Biotin may help promote skin health due to its part in fat metabolism. Our skin cells need access to fatty acids to stay supple and produce the natural oil barrier that helps keep skin hydrated and healthy-looking.

Biotin for Nails

Several scientific studies have shown positive results from using biotin to strengthen nails.

Biotin for Energy

Biotin plays important roles in energy production and macronutrient metabolism. Several metabolic enzymes need biotin to function properly and convert the foods we eat into energy which our body can use and to initiate processing of macronutrients. Biotin plays a role in the production of glucose from noncarbohydrate sources, fatty acid synthesis and the breakdown of amino acids, all of which are related to energy production.

Biotin for Cognitive Health

Glucose is one of our brain’s basic needs for cognitive performance. And biotin is required for an essential enzyme in the gluconeogenic pathway. Our brain also needs many other B-complex vitamins for glucose oxidation.

Biotin for Men

Biotin is used by many men to help promote hair growth and thickness, including taking biotin for beard and mustache growth. It may also help men keep their nails strong and skin healthy.

Food Sources of Biotin

There are plenty of food sources of biotin. Biotin-rich foods include organ meats, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts and some vegetables. For example: 

• Beef liver (30.8 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Egg (10 mcg per egg)
• Salmon (5 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Pork chop (3.8 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Sunflower seeds (2.6 mcg per ¼ cup)
• Almonds (1.5 mcg per ¼ cup)
• Tuna (0.6 mcg per 3 ounces)
• Spinach (0.5 mcg per ½ cup)
• Broccoli (0.4 mcg per ½ cup)

Vitamin C Benefits

While most people think of vitamin C as immune support, it has other benefits as well.

Vitamin C acts as a potent antioxidant that promotes cardiovascular health and it supports the formation of collagen and L-carnitine, as well as certain neurotransmitters.Vitamin C is also involved in protein metabolism and it may help boost absorption of nonheme iron.

As an Antioxidant
Vitamin C provides important antioxidant support, helping protect cells from oxidative stress and the effects of free radicals. It may also help regenerate other antioxidants within the body.

For Heart Health
Research suggests that high intakes of foods rich in vitamin C may help support heart health. The cardiovascular benefits of vitamin C may be linked to its role as an antioxidant.

For Weight Loss
There is some correlation between vitamin C levels and body mass. People with adequate levels of vitamin C oxidize 30% more fat during moderate exercise than those with low vitamin C levels. Some researchers believe that low levels of vitamin C may cause us to be more resistant to losing fat.

For Skin Health
Higher intakes of vitamin C may be associated with anti-aging benefits, including reduced wrinkle formation and reduced dryness.These benefits may be due, in part, to the role of vitamin C in healthy collagen synthesis.

For Production of L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is an amino acid that plays a role in energy production. Our bodies produce it naturally, but low vitamin C levels have been linked to lower production of this important amino acid.

For Synthesizing Neurotransmitters
Vitamin C is required for our body to carry out the enzymatic reaction that synthesizes the neurotransmitter norepinephrine from dopamine. Low vitamin C levels may increase tissue vulnerability due to free radicals and the effects of oxidative damage.

Protein Metabolism
Vitamin C plays a role in breaking down proteins in the body.

For Men
A study suggests that vitamin C may positively impact sexual health.