This wonderful video Jeff Novick -who used to be a food service manager at Kraft Foods-blows the lid off food labeling. This is an excerpt from Novick’s 80-minute talk at the VegSource 2007 Healthy Lifestyle Expo, and part of a 12-part series of top health expert presentations. In this online excerpt, Novick  exposes one of the dirty secrets major food corporations use to deceive consumers. It’s no accident labels are so confusing!

There are two types of cholesterol. If you’ve been told you have high cholesterol, it usually means you have more of the bad type and less of the good type. This may put you at higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

So what is a high level ? It is generally accepted that a total cholesterol level of over 200mg may cause problems in your cardio vascular system.

Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as bad cholesterol.

High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as good cholesterol.

If excessive LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it will slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. This, together with other substances can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that narrows the arteries and makes them less flexible. Plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces blood flow to your heart muscle. It also makes it more likely that blood clots will form in your arteries. Blood clots can partially or completely block blood flow.

HDL cholesterol, or “good” cholesterol, appears to scour the walls of blood vessels, cleaning out excess cholesterol. It then carries that excess cholesterol — which otherwise might have been used to make the “plaques” that cause coronary artery disease — back to the liver for processing.

So: Lower LDL + Higher HDL= GOOD HEALTH!!

There are five food types that will help you lower your bad cholesterol, as explained by the Mayo Clinic:

1. Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes.

2. Fish and omega-3 fatty acids

Eating fatty fish can be heart-healthy because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — reduces the risk of sudden death.

Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in:

• Mackerel
• Lake trout
• Herring
• Sardines
• Albacore tuna
• Salmon
• Halibut

You should bake or grill the fish to avoid adding unhealthy fats.

3. Walnuts, almonds and other nuts

Walnuts, almonds and other nuts can reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy. Make sure the nuts you eat aren’t salted or coated with sugar.

4. Olive oil

Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol but leave your “good” (HDL) cholesterol untouched.

5. Foods with added plant sterols or stanols

Foods are now available that have been fortified with sterols or stanols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.

Plant sterols and stanols are substances that occur naturally in small amounts in many grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Since they have powerful cholesterol-lowering properties, manufacturers have started adding them to foods. You can now get stanols or sterols in margarine spreads, orange juice, cereals, and even granola bars. But check the labels carefully. While plant sterols are healthy, extra calories are not. Excess calories simply lead to excess pounds.

MagicKitchen.com indicates Low-Cholesterol foods with this icon: