cholesterol essays

cholesterol essays For years, cholesterol has been a major concern for millions of people around the world. This fear of cholesterol has led to many consultations with specialists like physicians and nutritionists. It seems that there is a great misconception about this molecule. A majority of the population is conscious of the harm that it can cause, but they are not aware that it has pertinent values to our body. There are two major forms that cholesterol comes in: 1) low density lipoprotein, which is generally considered "bad" cholesterol and 2) high density lipoprotein, which is known as "good" cholesterol. Although given these names, there is nothing inherently good or bad about them. This research will clarify a lot of the misconceptions that are associated with cholesterol and the overall effect that cholesterol has on the human body. Cholesterol is a soft, fat like substance made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, that is found in all the body's cells and is used to form cell membranes, manufacture hormones and other necessary substances. It is an organic compound belonging to the sterol family that also encompasses steroids. Cholesterol is produced two ways. The first is by the liver. "The liver produces about 50,000,000,000,000,000 cholesterol molecules a second" (Body Mechanics 1), or about 1,000 mg of cholesterol a day. The second is by the intake of the foods eaten like animal fats (saturated and polysaturated fats) such as cheese, lard, egg yolks, red or marbled meat, pork, processed meat, gravies, palm or coconut oil, deep fried foods, whole milk, butter, etc.. This second process is accountable for another 400 mg - 500 mg of cholesterol a day. Once eaten, the cholesterol in the food goes into the intestines to await digestion. "Chylomicrons (fatty particles containing mainly triglycerides, but also cholesterol, phospholipids and protein) are produced in the intestinal wall" (Arthersclerosis 3). Once the chylomicrons enter the b...