Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 11, 1 November 1988 — Blood Cholesterol, Triglyceride and Taro Comparisons, continued [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Blood Cholesterol, Triglyceride and Taro Comparisons, continued

He Muu Kiuau Ola

Some Health Questions by Kekuni Blaisdell, M.D.

Nīnau: E ke kauka, how eome your diagram on blood cholesterol and triglyceride was like'ole (different) from your description in your eolumn? Huikau 'ia (confused). Pane: Pololei 'oe (you are correct). The ki'i (Figure 2) in my Kepakemapa (September)

eolumn had several hewa (errors). E kala mai ia'u (1 apologize). 1 kēia mahina (this month), I include a corrected ki'i (Figure 1) and the following description whieh I hope is clearer to you po'e heluhelu (readers):

After a meal of fat and cholesterol, these two food substances in the na'au (gut) are absorbed through the na'au wall into the koko (blood) as triglyceride and cholesterol hāpai 'ia (carried) in particles called koko chylomicrons to the akepa'a (liver) and to other tissues. Akā, during fasting between nā mea'ai (meals), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) hāpai triglyceride from the akepa'a to the other kino (body) tissues for energy needs. Low density lipoproteins (LDL) are mainly responsible for hāpai of cholesterol from the akepa'a to the other tissues for needed use in forming eell walls and making certain hormones. If koko (LDL) cholesterol concentration is too high (greater than 200 mg/dl) the excess koko cholesterol is deposited in the tissues, such as in arterial walls to form atherosclerotic plaques. Such plaques ean lead to thrombosis and myocardial infarction_(heart attack) as described in previous He Mau Ninau articles. Pelā, too muchLDL cholesterol is "bad cholesterol."

In contrast, koko high density lipoproteins (HDL) hāpai cholesterol from the kino tissues, such as arterial walls, for excretion by the akepa'a into the bile whieh flows into the na'au. Pēlā, HDL cholesterol is "good cholesterol." Nolaila, if your total koko blood cholesterol eoncentration is high with elevated LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol, you are at greater risk for heart attack than otherwise. Restricting dietary saturated fat and cholesterol is the major method for lowering blood LDL cholesterol and protecting yourself from coronary atherosclerosis and its serious consequences. The Moloka'i Diet is designed to do this. NTnau: In your eolumn last month, comparing kalo to rice, bread and potato, you list the amount of protein and vitamins in eaeh, but how eome you didn't show how mueh carbohydrate, fat, cholesterol and fiber? Also, why didn't you include 'uala (sweet potato)? Pane: Table 1 lists the calories, amounts of carbohydrate, protein, fat, cholesterol and fiber in usual portions of poi as pa'i 'ai, taro corm, Iū'au (leaO, laiki (nee), palaoa (bread), 'ualakahiki (Irish potato), and 'uala (sweet potato) that you requested. E kala mai ia'u for not including these items i kēlā mahina aku nei (last month). I did not list carbohydrate, fat, and cholesterol because a deficiency of these nutrients rarely causes serious and specific illness except for general ealone-laek and weight-loss. Whereas, deficiencies of "essential" nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals, like ealeium and iron, account for distinctive elinieal disorders. Pēlā, nutritive value comparisons of foods usually include only those items listed in last month's table. Examination of this month's Table 1 reveals several points worth emphasizing: • All of the main staples listed contain mainly carbohydrate (mostly starch), only modest amounts of protein, Iittle fat, no cholesterol, and some fiber, except for poi. • Pēlā, they are ready sources for wholesome calories (four calories per gram of carbohydrate and protein) and fiber, but without the highly concentrated calories of fat (9 calories per gram) whieh promote obesity. and cholesterol whieh promote atherosclerosis. This is the main reason why all of these staples are effective in lowering blood cholesterol and reversing atherosclerosis. • Lū'au (leaf) is in a separate class, like other leafy vegetables, containing relatively more protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber, and less carbohydrate. It was included because it is part of the kalo plant. • The combination of lū'au with kalo corm or with poi may be considered to be nutritively

superior to the other staples listed. However, none of these staples alone offers a clear advantage over the others with regard to all essential nutrients from the haole (Western) point of view. From the Hawaiian perspective, though, kalo is a kinolau (body form) of the supreme god Kāne and is the hiapo (eldest sibling) of Hāloa, the first kanaka and eommon ancestor of all of us ka po'e Hawai'i. And 'uala is a kinolau of the great god Lono. But more of these metaphorical matters i keia mahina a'e (next month).

Fig. 1. Simplified scheme of the transport of koko (blood) cholesterol and koko triglyceride from the na'au (gut) and between the akepa'a (liver) and other tissues.

Table 1. COMPARISON OF SOME MAJOR NUTRIENTS IN TAR0, RICE, BREAD AND POTATO Food Staple Measure Weight ^j0". Protein Fat Fibre " calories hydrate sterol • Poi 1 cup 240g 260cal 40g 1.5g 0.25g 0 0 g (pa'i "ai ) Taro, corm 1 cup 130 180 31 2.5 0.25 0 l.Og Lu'au 1 cup 150 60 11 4.5 1.2 0 2.1 (taro leaf) Rice, white 1 cup 180 200 45 3.8 0.25 0 0.25 unenriched Bread, wheat 2 si 50 122 23 4.8 2.2 0 0.8 unenriched Potato, Irish 1 ned 100 95 21 2.6 0.1 0 0.6 Potato, sweet 1 med 100 141 33 2.1 0.5 0 0.9 Source: Bowes and Church's Food Values, 14th Edition, 1985 \