

Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a vital component of our cells, which is why our body makes all that we need
For most Americans eating a conventional diet, plaque accumulates inside the coronary arteries that feed our heart muscle. This plaque buildup, known as atherosclerosis, is the hardening of the arteries by pockets of cholesterol-rich fatty material that builds up beneath the inner linings of the blood vessels. This process seems to occur over decades, slowly bulging into the space inside the arteries, narrowing the path for blood to flow.
The restriction of blood circulation to the heart may lead to chest pain and pressure when people try to exert themselves. If the plaque ruptures, a blood clot may form within the artery. This sudden blockage of blood flow may cause a heart attack, damaging or even killing part of the heart.
A large body of evidence shows there were once enormous swaths of the world where the coronary heart disease epidemic seemed to be almost non-existent, such as rural China and sub-Saharan Africa. It’s not genetics: When people move from low- to high-risk areas, their disease rates appear to skyrocket as they adopt the diet and lifestyle habits of their new homes. The extraordinarily low rates of heart disease in rural China and Africa have been attributed to the extraordinarily low cholesterol levels among these populations. Though Chinese and African diets are very different, they are both centered on plant-derived foods, such as grains and vegetables. By eating so much fiber and so little animal fat, their total cholesterol levels averaged under 150 mg/dL, similar to people eating contemporary strictly plant-based diets.
According to William C. Roberts, editor in chief of the American Journal of Cardiology, the only critical risk factor for atherosclerotic plaque buildup is cholesterol, specifically elevated LDL cholesterol in our blood. To drastically reduce LDL cholesterol levels, it appears we need to drastically reduce our intake of trans fat, which comes from processed foods and naturally from meat and dairy; saturated fat, found mainly in animal products and junk foods; and, playing a lesser role, dietary cholesterol, found exclusively in animal-derived foods, especially eggs.
Notice the pattern? The three boosters of bad cholesterol—the number-one risk factor for our number-one killer—all stem from eating processed foods and animal products. This likely explains why populations living on traditional diets revolving around whole plant foods have largely remained free from the epidemic of heart disease.
Image Credit: Oregon State University / Flickr. This image has been modified.
Popular Videos for Cholesterol


Trans Fat, Saturated Fat, & Cholesterol: Tolerable Upper Intake of Zero
The intake of trans fats, which come mostly from junk food and animal products; saturated...
Cholesterol & Alzheimer’s Disease
High-tech advances, such as PET scanning, offer new insight into the role cholesterol plays in...
Cholesterol Crystals May Tear Through Our Artery Lining
Crystallization of cholesterol may be what causes atherosclerotic plaque rupture, the trigger for heart attacks
Optimal Cholesterol Level
Why don’t authorities advocate a sufficient reduction in cholesterol down to safe levels?
The Actual Benefit of Diet vs. Drugs
The medical profession oversells the benefits of drugs for chronic disease since so few patients...
Back in Circulation: Sciatica & Cholesterol
Atherosclerotic plaque clogging the arteries feeding our spine may lead to low back pain, disc...
Does Cholesterol Size Matter?
How do American Egg Board arguments hold up to scientific scrutiny, such as the concept...
How the Egg Board Designs Misleading Studies
The cholesterol in eggs not only worsens the effects of saturated fat, but has a...
When Low-Risk Means High-Risk
Dr. Rose’s sick-population concept may explain why many nutrition studies underestimate the role of diet...
Cholesterol Feeds Breast Cancer Cells
Cholesterol appears to stimulate the growth of human breast cancer cells—which may explain why phytosterol-rich...
Eggs & Cholesterol: Patently False & Misleading Claims
Egg industry claims about egg safety found to be patently false, misleading, and deceptive by...
Carnitine, Choline, Cancer, & Cholesterol: The TMAO Connection
Expanding on the subject of my upcoming appearance on The Dr. Oz Show, a landmark...
How to Prevent Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Avoid sugary and cholesterol-laden foods to reduce the risk of our most common cause of...All Videos for Cholesterol
-
What’s the Ideal Waist Size?
Increased risk of metabolic complications starts at an abdominal circumference of 31.5 inches in women and 37 inches in most men, though it’s closer to 35.5 inches for South Asian, Chinese, and Japanese men.
-
The Effects of Obesity on Gallstones, Acid Reflux, and Cardiovascular Disease
Sufficient, sustained weight loss may cut the risk of fatal heart attacks and strokes in half.
-
The Effects of Obesity on Back Pain, Blood Pressure, Cancer, and Diabetes
Losing weight can reduce sciatica, hypertension, and cancer risk, and reverse type 2 diabetes.
-
The Best Knee Replacement Alternative for Osteoarthritis Treatment
Is there a nonsurgical alternative to knee replacement surgery that instead treats the cause and offers only beneficial side effects?
-
How to Reverse Heart Failure with Diet
An entire issue of a cardiology journal dedicated to plant-based nutrition explores the role an evidence-based diet can play in the reversal of congestive heart failure.
-
The Optimal Vitamin B12 Dosage for Adults
Why the current Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin B12 may be insufficient.
-
Type 1 Diabetes Treatment: A Plant-Based Diet
Is it possible to reverse type 1 diabetes if caught early enough?
-
The Best Diet for Weight Loss and Disease Prevention
The most effective diet for weight loss may also be the healthiest.
-
How to Test for Functional Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Many doctors mistakenly rely on serum B12 levels in the blood to test for vitamin B12 deficiency.
-
Vegetarians and Stroke Risk Factors—Vitamin B12 & Homocysteine?
Not taking B12 supplements or regularly eating B12 fortified foods may explain the higher stroke risk found among vegetarians.
-
Vegetarians and Stroke Risk Factors—Saturated Fat?
How can we explain the drop in stroke risk as the Japanese diet became Westernized by eating more meat and dairy?
-
Do Vegetarians Really Have Higher Stroke Risk?
The first study in history on the incidence of stroke of vegetarians and vegans suggests they may be at higher risk.