The Difference Between Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol

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You might’ve heard the news, saw the ads, or read in health blogs about the bad health effects of cholesterol. But is cholesterol a bad thing? Isn’t there a good and bad cholesterol?

With so much confusing information out there, we thought we could clear up some of the misconceptions for you.

LDL vs. HDL

To start, LDL and HDL aren’t actually cholesterol. They are proteins (known as lipoproteins) that carry the cholesterol through the body. These proteins decide where your cholesterol gets transferred to.

HDL

(high density lipoprotein) might be known as the “good cholesterol” which helps your body get rid of excess cholesterol by transferring it back to the liver. Because it can do this, it helps your arteries stay clear from blockages and plaque build up

LDL

(low density lipoprotein) is known as the “bad cholesterol” since it actually hurts your health by transferring the extra cholesterol towards your arteries. This can cause atherosclerosis and increase your risk for blood clots and heart attacks.

Good Cholesterol

Your body needs cholesterol in the blood to build healthy cells. It’s an essential chemical in the structure of the cell wall. Without it, your body wouldn’t function properly. In fact, your body creates 80% of the cholesterol needed to be healthy. This cholesterol is produced by your liver.

Bad Cholesterol

Problems occur when your body has too much cholesterol. Since your body makes most of the cholesterol needed to stay healthy, extra cholesterol we consume doesn’t do us much help. In fact, the cholesterol we consume is called dietary cholesterol. Its found in animal products like meat, dairy and poultry. If you consume meals that are heavily focused on these foods, your body might have an oversupply of “bad” cholesterol.

How To Achieve Optimal Cholesterol Levels

Since your body already produces the majority of cholesterol needed to function properly, it doesn’t need to be consumed in your diet. Actually, eating it daily can have harmful effects. To lower your “bad cholesterol”, avoid animal based foods. Instead, try to consume a majority plant based diet. In clinical trials, a plant-based diet lowered total cholesterol by 12.5 mg/dL. Since plant-based foods don’t contain any cholesterol, it’s a realistic goal to achieve optimal levels by changing your diet alone! Exercising daily can also help increase the “good” protein carrying cholesterol, and reduce the “bad”.

Supplementation when paired with a healthy lifestyle and diet can help maintain optimal cholesterol levels.

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