Since my LDL cholesterol is getting higher every year, I try to eat oily fish at least once a week. I also spread my bread (4 slices) with Becel Light with added omega 3 and 6. Now I read on the site of the Nutrition Center that four grams a day of EPA and DHA lowers blood pressure (which I also have to watch out for), but that two grams of DHA raises LDL cholesterol again. What advice can you give me on this, I look forward to your reply with great interest.
Helma
Patricia Schutte, nutritionist
High-fat products contain a combination of different fatty acids. Some foods contain more saturated fatty acids (e.g. butter and hard margarines), others contain more unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. soft margarines and most vegetable oils).
Unsaturated fatty acids
Replacing foods high in saturated fatty acids with foods high in unsaturated fatty acids lowers LDL cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease. We recommend replacing butter, hard margarine and hard cooking fats with soft margarines, liquid cooking fat and vegetable oils.
Omega 3 and Omega 6
Omega 3 and omega 6 are unsaturated fatty acids. The choice for low-fat margarine with added omega-3 and omega-6 is therefore a good choice. Omega-3 in margarine or low-fat margarine can come from fish oil, but can also be alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This is stated in the ingredient declaration on the packaging.
Oily fish once a week
Eating fish lowers the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke. We recommend eating fish once a week, preferably fatty fish such as herring or salmon. This advice also complies with the Health Council’s advice to get 200 mg of omega-3 fatty acids from fish (fish fatty acids).
This advice applies to healthy people as well as to people who want to watch their cholesterol or blood pressure.
Do you also have a question? Then ask one of our experts. Always go to your doctor with urgent questions, the experts are not the right person for that. They also do not diagnose. The other conditions can be found here.
Patricia Schutte has been working as an information officer at the Nutrition Center in The Hague for more than 25 years. She answers questions about healthy, sustainable and safe food.
