Don't Eat Foods High In Cholesterol

Don't Eat Foods High In Cholesterol

There are two kinds of cholesterol you should be concerned with. HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) and LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein), known as the good and bad cholesterol, respectively.
Lipoproteins exist to carry fats through your bloodstream, which is a watery medium. LDL can be characterized as a delivery truck, depositing fats into your cells, and clogging up your arteries. HDL is a scavenger, gathering up fats and choles¬terol; in effect, cleaning up your arteries.
Thus, while your overall cholesterol should be low (below 180), you should also be concerned with the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol.
Here is how you can perform your own coronary risk factor test: Divide total cholesterol by HDL:
total cholesterol HDL
The lower the figure, the better. A ratio of 3.5 is what you want. A ratio between 7 and 9 doubles the standard risk of a heart attack, and a ratio above 12 or 13 indicates a 300% greater chance of suffering heart disease. (Ask your doctor for HDL reading.)