11th Sep '25

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a substance (a lipid). It is a substance made by the and found in the . The amount of cholesterol produced by the liver depends on a combination of and factors.

High levels of cholesterol in the blood increase the risk of disease of the and vessels.

Cholesterol is carried around the body by two types of lipoproteins:

It is the of these is very important to good heart health.

Some foods naturally contain cholesterol, but it is the amount of saturated fat we eat that has the greatest effect on our cholesterol level.

Type of Fat Number of double bonds Effect on Cholesterol Found in
Saturated None eg Lard, Butter
Monounsaturated Slight decrease Oils and Spreads eg Sunflower / Olive Oil, Flora
Pollyunsaturated Many

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may help both to blood cholesterol levels and to improve the balance between LDLs and HDLs.