Saturated Fat vs. Cholesterol

Question
Hello,

What is the "difference" between saturated fat vs. cholesterol?  More importantly, if I have a choice between eating food high in one vs. the other, which should a typical adult choose?  Which should an adult distance runner choose?  What about the effects of each on children, particularly thin active athletic ones?

Thanks,
Jeff

Answer
Dear Jeff, Cholesterol is not a pure fat, it's a fatty like essential substance that your body makes to produce important chemicals in the body like bile salts and hormones. Other animals make their own cholesterol too. When you eat meat, eggs, seafood, you are eating that animals cholesterol. Saturated fat is a full fat saturated with hydrogen and is found usually from animal fat. You didn't mention trans fat, which I feel is the worst fat to eat in the world. It is a synthetic fat which a company has added hydrogen to it. It's called a hydrogenated fat and is found in processed foods. The body has a harder time trying to digest this type of fat. Check the labels for hydrogenated fats, and limit your eating of these foods. In regards to what you should eat, I think it depends on what your cholesterol and triglyceride levels are. If they are within the healthy range, then you are eating an OK diet. If it is abnormal, then you should follow your doctor's suggestion as to diet and what to avoid. The average person should limit eating all trans fats, and should limit saturated fat to 20% of total fat eaten. The rest should be from unsaturated and poly unsaturated fats found in plant products like canola oil and olive oil just to name a few.
Laura Kraemer,Slimkids.com

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