Your traditional Christmas feast may actually be good for you, says expert

Dec. 7, 2023 - PRLog -- This Christmas, you can eat turkey, Brussels sprouts and roast potatoes without worrying about your cholesterol levels, says a leading blood testing expert.

Dr Avinash Hari Narayanan (MBChB), Clinical Lead at London Medical Laboratory, says: 'The great news is that the perennial Christmas favourite, turkey, can help our heart health. That's because research shows that fatty fish, chicken breast and turkey are good natural sources of niacin. Niacin helps raise HDL "good" cholesterol, lower LDL "bad" cholesterol and also lowers another type of fat in your body called "triglycerides".

'That's the meat taken care of, what about the Brussels sprouts? An antioxidant-rich diet raises 'good' cholesterol HDL levels in relation to triglycerides.  Brussels rank high in antioxidants, just after kale and spinach.

'No Christmas meal would be complete without roast potatoes. The good news is that the spud has zero fat and cholesterol and it's low in sodium. It's also rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Don't' use lard or goose fat, unsaturated cooking oils such as olive oil or rapeseed are more heart-healthy. Rapeseed oil is particularly high in sterols. Sterols and stanols are plant chemicals that actually stop some cholesterol from being absorbed. While we do get a small amount of sterols from plant-based foods such as vegetable oils, it's really not enough to make a great difference, so food companies have developed products with plant sterols or stanols added to them.

'What about dessert? The good news is that traditional winter favourites such as baked apples or pears help lower overall cholesterol levels.  Berries, another popular sweet treat, are also high in antioxidants. While cream's off the menu, as it's high in saturated fat, fortified yoghurts containing sterols and stanols can help you reach the amount needed to help lower your cholesterol.

'If people are concerned about their cholesterol levels as we approach Christmas, it's best to get them checked. With GP surgeries extremely busy at this time of year, fortunately there are alternatives. London Medical Laboratory's finger-prick Cholesterol Profile test measures total cholesterol, LDL "bad" cholesterol, HDL "good" cholesterol, non-HDL (a newly adopted, more accurate, measure) and other key markers. It can be taken at home through the post, or at one of the many drop-in clinics that offer these tests across London and nationwide in over 120 selected pharmacies and health stores. For full details, see: https://www.londonmedicallaboratory.com/product/cholesterol-profile