Post

How to get URL link on X (Twitter) App

On the Twitter thread, click on or icon on the bottom
Click again on or Share Via icon
Click on Copy Link to Tweet
Paste it above and click "Unroll Thread"!
More info at Twitter Help

Cooking with Chris

@coookwithchris

Mar 10 • 22 tweets • 5 min read • Read on X

THE TRUTH ABOUT CHOLESTEROL

& how we’ve been lied to about to causes of heart disease

(Thread)

“High cholesterol causes heart disease”

How many times have you heard this? Probably a lot.

But what if I told you that cholesterol is actually necessary for good health?

And that everything you’ve been told about cholesterol is a lie?

Let’s get into it👇🏼

Without cholesterol, we die. It’s that simple.

It is needed to synthesize hormones like cortisol, testosterone, progesterone, estrogen and even vitamin D.

It strengthens your cell membranes, helps break down your food, and so much more.

Cholesterol-containing foods are also some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.

So if that is the case, why has cholesterol been demonized for so long?

Well, like most things, you can follow the money.

The American Heart Association has demonized foods containing cholesterol and saturated fats, while encouraging people to eat “heart healthy” vegetable oils.

This is horrible advice, considering those vegetable oils DO increase risk of heart disease, and foods with saturated fat are some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.

Imagine thinking that a grilled mushroom with canola oil on a bun is healthier than a grass fed steak?

According to healthline:

“New statistics predict that 45 percent of people in the United States will have at least one issue related to the disease by 2035.

That’s up from earlier predictions from the American Heart Association (AHA) of 40 percent by 2030.

The AHA predicts that costs related to the disease will double from $555 billion in 2016 to $1.1 trillion in 2035.”

This is very interesting considering their donors make billions off of cholesterol lowering pharmaceuticals.

The truth is, dietary cholesterol has little to no effect on your blood cholesterol.

Your body regulates the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

When you eat less cholesterol, your body makes more.

When you eat more cholesterol, your body makes less.

I’m sure you’ve heard that there is good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL), which is just more outdated advice.

Many doctors are still claiming that elevated LDL is causing heart disease.

This study shows that LOW LDL levels are actually associated with HIGHER risk of all cause mortality:

nature.com/articles/s4159…

So if it isn’t LDL, what is the cause of heart disease?

Enter: oxidized LDL

“Oxygen in our blood can attack things flowing in our blood, including the fatty acids in LDL. After oxygen has attacked the fatty acids in LDL, the LDL particle is said to be oxidized, or basically burnt.” - @drcateshanahan

The oxidized fat and cholesterol can be toxic to your cells.

If your LDL is oxidized and your arteries are continually exposed to oxidized fats and cholesterol, it becomes a large plaque, eventually causing a heart attack or a stroke.

For a detailed breakdown, read this article by @drcate drcate.com/cholesterol-wh…

ApoB

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a more accurate indicator of cardiovascular risk than LDL because it directly reflects the number of atherogenic lipoprotein particles (LDL, VLDL, IDL, and Lp(a)) circulating in the blood.

This is becoming more and more common on routine bloodwork which is awesome!

Your triglyceride to HDL ratio is a much better indicator of heart disease risk than your LDL levels as well.

“Research has shown that people with the highest ratio of triglycerides to HDL “good” cholesterol has 16 times the risk of heart attack as those with the lowest ratio of triglycerides to HDL.”

.journal-advocate.com/2012/02/27/the…

So, what can you do to prevent lower oxidized LDL, triglycerides and risk of heart disease? It’s simple: live a healthy lifestyle:

-Eating a diet consisting of whole, nutrient dense foods (including animal fats)
-Lowering inflammation
-Weight management
-Exercise
-Sunlight
-Proper sleep/circadian rhythm
-Avoiding trans fats, refined sugars, and seed oils in high quantities
-Blood sugar control
-Avoid smoking

Overall, this doesn’t mean you need to just go ahead and start eating a pound of steak every day, or drop your statins immediately.

And if your LDL is through the roof it is still something you should address!

My goal for this thread was just to change the way you view cholesterol and saturated fat, show you that it doesn’t need to be demonized, and has its place in a healthy, balanced diet

If you know me, you know I always advocate for a mixture of unprocessed, meat, seafood/fish, eggs, dairy, fruits and vegetables.

And before making any decisions, always consult with your doctor!

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

More from @coookwithchris

Cooking with Chris

@coookwithchris

Mar 5

COLLAGEN VS GELATIN

& why balancing amino acids is necessary for optimal health

(Thread)

As western society has moved to eating predominantly muscle meat & less of the whole animal, our nutrition has suffered

One of the main things lacking are collagen & gelatin, which play a role in:

-Gut health
-Skin & hair quality
-Joint health
-Nervous system

And so much more

In this thread I’ll go over:

-The benefits
-The differences
-How to maximize natural production
-How to consume them
-Should you supplement?
-Recipes to get the most of it

Let’s get into it

Read 26 tweets

Cooking with Chris

@coookwithchris

Feb 26

A GUIDE TO MEDICINAL HERBS & SPICES

(Thread)

There is evidence that plants have been used for medicinal purposes for over 60,000 years.

Unfortunately today, we have lost touch with nature and often turn to lab-made pharmaceuticals to heal.

In this thread I’ll go over powerful herbs & spices and their medicinal benefits.

Chamomile

Often consumed in the form of tea, chamomile is most known for it’s relaxing and anti-anxiety properties. Many people use it as a night time tea to promote sleep.

It also has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to aid minor digestive problems as well.

Read 19 tweets

Cooking with Chris

@coookwithchris

Feb 19

THE 10 BEST PROTEIN SOURCES & THEIR NUTRIENTS

(Thread)

No matter your health goals, protein intake is KEY

-Keeps you the most full
-You burn more calories digesting it
-Helps build/maintain muscle
-Prevents a big glucose spike with carbs
-Most nutrient dense foods

Here are 10 of my favorite protein sources & their nutrients:

Eggs

Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamins B2 B5 B9 B12
Biotin
Choline
Phosphorus
Selenium
Calcium
Iron
Iodine
Lutein and zeaxanthin (antioxidants)
Omega 3’s

Read 13 tweets

Cooking with Chris

@coookwithchris

Feb 18

One of the most overlooked causes of health issues...

It can be the reason for:

-Gut issues
-Fatigue
-Eczema/psoriasis,
-Joint pain
-And even mental health issues

Yet most doctors deny it’s even real!

So, here’s everything you need to know on LEAKY GUT & how to resolve it:

Your digestive system is responsible for absorbing nutrients and getting rid of waste

The lining of the intestines are the barrier between your gut and bloodstream

When it’s functioning properly, this will prevent harmful substances from entering your bloodstream

Your intestines have small gaps, which allow nutrients to enter your bloodstream, known as intestinal permeability

When we have disruption to the gut, these gaps start to widen (aka increased intestinal permeability) and toxins & bad bacteria can enter your bloodstream

Read 16 tweets

Cooking with Chris

@coookwithchris

Feb 17

POTATO THREAD🥔

Potatoes are one of the most delicious, easily digestible and versatile foods on the planet

Here are my 8 favorite ways to cook them:

French fries

Start by peeling and slicing russet potatoes. You can cut them in pretty much any shape you want.

As you’re cutting them, place into a bowl of cold water. Give these a rinse or 2 to get off the excess starch.

Add to a pot with cold water, salt and a splash of white vinegar, then bring to a boil. The vinegar will help prevent the potatoes from falling apart.

You want to boil them until they’re soft, but not completely cooked, otherwise they will really fall apart.

I used a medium sized cut, and boiled them for about 5-6 minutes.

The next and arguably most important step is to drain the water and let them cool completely. A steel wire rack is perfect for this.
The cold potato hitting the hot oil is what will give them that crispy & crunchy texture.

When they are completely cool, it’s time to fry. I’m using duck fat but beef tallow is another great option. The animal fats will give them a nice savory flavor.
Heat your oil to about 350-375 degrees, then add the fries.

Be careful not to overcrowd the oil, otherwise it will cool it down too much. Fry in batches if necessary.

When they are golden crispy, remove and drain on a steel wire rack, just for a minute.
Time to add your seasonings. You want to do this immediately after frying.

I’m making truffle fries so just doing salt, pepper and some truffle oil.

You can add any seasonings you like; cajun seasoning, garlic & rosemary, paprika & garlic powder, etc.

Luxurious Mashed potatoes

Ideally, these will be made with a 3:1 potato:butter ratio. You can use less butter if you want, but this will give you a very rich, luxurious mashed potato.

Leave the butter out so it comes to room temperature.

Start by peeling your russet potatoes and slicing them into even sized chunks.

Rinse them with cold water, then add them to a pot of salted cold water.
Bring to a boil and boil them until they are fully cooked; don’t worry about over cooking them.

Drain the water out, then add them back to the pot.

Mash them with a potato masher (is that what it’s called?? LOL). Once they are roughly mashed, add 1/4 of the butter and continue mashing.

Now it’s time to switch to a whisk, and add another 1/4 of the butter.

Do this 2 more times.

When all the butter is melted in, you can add a splash of steamed milk or half & half. I typically use 1/4 cup of whole milk for 3 pounds of potatoes. Stir well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and you’re done! For added points, you can also add some roasted garlic

Read 9 tweets

Cooking with Chris

@coookwithchris

Feb 17

HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT OXTAIL SOUP

Oxtail soup is easily one of the healthiest things you can possibly eat

It’s LOADED with collagen/gelatin, amazing balance of amino acids, nutritious vegetables and is good for the soul

Let's get into it:

What I love about oxtail soup is that you get all the benefits of bone broth without it having to worry about simmering overnight and straining it into a million jars

Although it takes time, it is fool proof!

Here's how we do it:

1. Cleaning the oxtail

This is the first and most important step! If we don’t clean them well, there will be a lot of blood and other gunk that ends up in the final dish

First, add all the oxtail to a large pot, rinse it well, then pour the water out

Cover it with water again, and move to the stove top. Bring to a boil, and let boil for 20-30 minutes

This will get rid of all this gunk and make the final dish much cleaner

After boiling, rinse each piece under cold water and rub any excess gunk off with your hands, then add to a clean pot

I also used a 2 lb neck bone!