Dietary Cholesterol (and Why You Should Care)

INTRO TO CHOLESTEROL

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty compound that is made inside the bodies of all humans and animals.  According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, our bodies make all the cholesterol we ever need, without us having to consume any.

Because cholesterol is only found inside of bodies, the only foods that contain cholesterol are meat, dairy, and eggs (this includes chicken, fish, etc).

There are two types of molecules that contain cholesterol in our body, which are the high-density lipoproteins and the low-density lipoproteins. LDLs deliver the cholesterol to different parts of the body (where it generates hormones, vitamin D, and digestive substances). HDLs then move the cholesterol from the parts of the body to the liver, where it is removed from the body entirely. This process completely happens without any need for consumption of  cholesterol (meaning without meat, dairy, or eggs).

Because the average…