Vegan Forum

A year ago, when I'd started following a primarily vegan diet, I started to eat nuts and nut butters as well as tortilla chips. I'd thought that because these items had zero cholesterol and only small amounts of saturated fat, that my lipid levels wouldn't go up. But I was very wrong. Within a year, my total cholesterol went from 185 to 230!

So, for the past 3 months, I have been eating between 20-40 grams of fat most days( I have one fat binge day a week, lol, and pull out all the stops then!)

I hope to return to the lower lipid levels I'd had previously, which, btw, I'd obtained by following a low fat diet. I eat primarily legumes, whole grains, almond or soy milk, and tons of fresh and frozen produce.

Anyway, I'm wondering if other vegans struggle with high lipid levels, and have to watch their total fat intake, dispite it being of plant origin. I guess my liver makes abundant cholesterol, and, thus, I have to take care how I eat most days.

I will add that my digestion feels better eating lower fat fare; I have gastric reflux and rich food aggravates the condition.

For the record, I will state that being vegan hardly confers a thin body. Trust me, I don't look thin and sickly; I'm quite rubenesque, lol. Dunno where folks get the idea that by cutting out animal products will make one thin.

your liver produces cholesterol... mainstream medicine misleads us into thinking cholesterol is a direct function of diet... they're very quick to prescribe medications which directly effect a number of body systems/processes... try taking 500mg of niacin(the type that causes your skin to flush)... the flushing is is caused by blood vessels at the surface of the skin dilating fully open increasing blood flow to the surface... i buy mine from GNC... this will help lower LDL cholesterol... i also eat raw onions like apples... among other things this raises HDL which is very desirable... PeaCe2U

Kensho

Ah, eating raw onions except in very small quantity would kill my stomach. As previously mentioned, I have gastric reflux. But I eat lots of boiled onions, and as well, put garlic in many recipes.

As for niacin, I can't abide the flushing; it's intense for me. As well, it makes me very itchy. It's not a good thing. My cholesterol WILL go down consuming lower fat fare; I've done it before successfully. I also get moderate exercise, but due to fibromyalgia and osteoarthrits, I can't go for long endurance or a vigorous level.

Thanks for those tips!

Scientists believe human survival depends on the material must be obtained from the food, these substances can be divided into 6 types: including water, protein, carbohydrate, lipid, minerals, vitamins.