Take the Cholesterol Quiz!

True or false...

1. The lower my cholesterol, the lower my risk for heart disease.
2. If a product's package reads "low cholesterol," the product is low in fat.
3. Women don't get heart disease, so they don't need to worry about cholesterol.
4. Cholesterol is the only risk factor for heart disease I should worry about.
5. There's no cholesterol in peanut butter.
6. I can lower my cholesterol level by eating more fish.
7. The best age to have your cholesterol level checked is age 50, because that's the peak age for heart attacks in men.
8. Because both of my parents died from coronary disease when they were young, I suppose it makes no sense for me to try to prevent the development of heart disease.

Answers

1. The lower my cholesterol, the lower my risk for heart disease.

True and false. The statement above is true -- according to the statistics, your risk for heart disease is lower when you have low total cholesterol and low LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the fatty substance that is most related to arterial blockage.

The statement above is also false -- your risk for heart disease is actually higher if you have a low HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol level. HDL is the "good" cholesterol -- it carries fat out of the coronary arteries.

2. If a product's package reads "low cholesterol," the product is low in fat.

False. A lot of foods marked "low cholesterol" contain oils that may be high in saturated fats -- substances that research suggests may be as bad for you as cholesterol. Unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oil, are also high in calories.

Remember, fat is high in calories -- 1 gram of fat has 9 calories. Proteins and carbohydrates each have 4 calories per gram. It's true that we all need some fat in our diets. But when you add fat, select monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, nuts and seeds. Monounsaturated fats do not increase blood cholesterol when included in a low-fat meal plan. The total amount of fat in your diet should be kept to about 20 to 30 percent of your daily intake (or 1 tbsp. of the fats listed above, per meal).

3. Women don't get heart disease, so they don't need to worry about cholesterol.

False. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women. More than 250,000 women die each year from heart disease. However, women often have higher levels of HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol. HDL carries LDL ("bad" cholesterol) out of the blood. Higher levels of HDL protect against heart disease. Once a woman reaches the age of 50 (about the age of natural menopause), the risk of heart disease increases dramatically because of the reduced levels of estrogen, a hormone that helps protect a woman's body against heart disease. In young women who have undergone early or surgical menopause, the risk of heart disease is also higher.