Cholesterol is a type of fat that is essential to life and a vital part of every cell in the body. It is naturally produced by the liver and is used by tissues in the body to build and maintain cells. There are essentially two types of cholesterol. Good and bad.
LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is called the "bad" cholesterol because it can help form fatty deposits (plaques) in the arteries.
HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is called the "good" cholesterol because it helps to remove excess cholesterol from plaques and thus slows plaque growth.
The dangers of high cholesterol
The liver returns the cholesterol it cannot use to the bloodstream. An excess of cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause fatty deposits (plaques) to form in the arteries.
Over time these deposits cause the arteries to narrow and can eventually block them completely.
Cholesterol and your diet
The cholesterol in your diet comes mainly with saturated fats found in foods from animals. Foods from plants do not contain cholesterol.
There is no need to eat foods high in cholesterol as your body can produce all the cholesterol it needs. However some foods such as eggs, seafood and dairy products that contain cholesterol are healthy foods with essential nutrients. These can be eaten in moderation, as long as your overall diet is low in saturated fats.
Treating high cholesterol
You may be able to lower your cholesterol levels by limiting foods high in saturated fats (which tend to boost LDL cholesterol) and by changing some of your lifestyle habits.
You can also consume plant sterol enriched products such as KRAFT liveactive cheese, which actually help to lower cholesterol re-absorption in the digestive tract.
If diet and lifestyle changes are not enough to reduce your cholesterol, or if you have inherited genes that cause high cholesterol, you should see your Doctor.
Even if you are taking medicines, diet and exercise are still important to your health!
Click here for Top 5 Cholesterol Lowering Tips
Adapted from 'Cholesterol and Your Health' by Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
To find out more about cholesterol and health visit:
Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Heart Foundation
About Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute is an independent, internationally-renowned medical research facility. The Institute's work extends from the laboratory to wide-scale community studies with a focus on diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Baker IDI's mission is to reduce death and disability from cardiovascular disease, diabetes and related disorders: two insidious and complex diseases responsible for the most deaths and the highest costs in the world in terms of treatments and hospitalisation. Baker IDI's work covers five broad themes of research, each of which supports groups of scientists who work in a laboratory setting as well as researchers who work in the community. This integration of basic scientists with epidemiologists, clinicians and public health professionals is central to Baker IDI's strategy to perform research that is directly informed by community needs and to translate discoveries into everyday clinical practice. More about Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute (http://www.bakeridi.edu.au)
Back to Kraft liveactive Healthy Living