Why oily foods are not good for your heart?

You might have heard about cholesterol lowering products in the markets claiming that their products are cholesterol free or cholesterol lowering. Have you ever noticed what exactly do you mean by cholesterol? Cholesterol is a very tricky substance and evil too when its levels are more than required. It is a waxy substance that is required by our body. There are 3 main types of cholesterol, LDL, HDL, VLDL. LDL stands for low density lipoprotein, which is known as bad cholesterol. HDL stands for high density lipoprotein, which is known as good cholesterol and VLDL stands for very low density lipoprotein. When you consume oily foods, you may experience an increase in your cholesterol levels, mainly LDL cholesterol levels. Consuming oily foods also reduces your good cholesterol or HDL cholesterol. This is where complication starts. Main disadvantage of cholesterol is that it gets deposited in the arteries of your heart. As a result it leads to formation of plaques. 

Most of the edible oils have high content of saturated fats, belonging to category of fatty acids. Increased levels of cholesterol can lead to heart attacks. Cholesterol is also the main reason for your heart to pump more blood than usual. This creates a panicky situation for your heart and affects the blood circulation and purification. Increased intake of fatty and fried foods also leads to increase in blood pressure and narrowing of arteries.  

The following table explains the levels of cholesterol. It is estimated that LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol should be below 110 mg/dL. Any value above 130 mg/dL is considered to increase the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular problems. HDL or good cholesterol should be higher. The higher the HDL, the better is your heart functioning. HDL cholesterol levels must be higher than or equal to 60 mg/dL. Low levels of HDL increase the risk of heart disease. HDL cholesterol can be increased with diet and physical activity. 

Type of cholesterol	Normal Levels	Levels that can cause heart risks
LDL	Less than 110 mg/dL	130 mg/dL and above
HDL	Higher than or equal to 60 mg/dL	Lower than 50 mg/dL

Consuming oily foods also leads to obesity. And already mentioned, obesity is the mother of all diseases. Heart disease is very common in people who are obese. That is the reason why oily foods are tagged as fatty foods, because they tend to increase the fat content in your body.
Foods good for your heart:
Oats are considered to be very good for your heart. Oatmeal is rich source of iron  and various nutrients. Oats are known to lower your bad cholesterol and help to maintain arterial health. Foods rich in potassium are found to beneficial for protecting your heart. Avocados are best example for foods that are rich in potassium. Walnuts are rich source of omega 3 which is again heart protective. Olive oil is known to raise good cholesterol, hence adding a table spoon of olive oil to your salads will serve you with adequate nutrients good for your heart.