LDL cholesterol is considered the “bad” type, meaning low-density lipoprotein. Without going into medical and scientific terminology, suffice it to say that LDL cholesterol can have harmful reactions in the human body. In contrast, there is HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, which creates beneficial reactions in the human body.
If you find it difficult to remember which is better and which is not, think of plant stanol esters as the one you want to keep low (use L at first as a reminder trigger) and HDL is the one you need to keep higher (H = more high) The relationship between LDL and HDL cholesterol levels is also important.
Now, unfortunately, the evidence is still a bit inaccurate. In some cases, healthcare professionals will still do a total cholesterol test, which will give you your overall level. However, it is becoming increasingly common to at least estimate the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol or total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, but both are estimates, not actual measurements.
Some say that ldl and hdl cholesterol should drop to 100 mg or less, while the new guidelines require less than 70 mg. When measuring total cholesterol to HDL, a ratio of 5: 1 or less is said to be best.
You can now get cholesterol from food. The main sources of cholesterol are foods of animal origin, such as eggs, peanuts, flax seeds, and beef. Some cholesterol can also be found in plants, but generally much less. Most people assume, and books even teach, that plants have no cholesterol at all. However, this is a misunderstanding because the US FDA does not require it to be on food labels for less than 2 mg.