

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.
The information on this page has been compiled from Dr. Greger’s research. Sources for each video listed can be found by going to the video’s page and clicking on the Sources Cited tab. References may also be found at the back of his books.
Image Credit: Oregon State University / Flickr. This image has been modified.
Popular Videos for Cholesterol


How Low Should You Go for Ideal Cholesterol Levels?
Having a so-called normal cholesterol in a society where it’s normal to drop dead of...
Dietary Cholesterol & Cancer
The relationship between the consumption of eggs and other cholesterol-rich foods and cancers of the...
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
-
Exercising to Protect Your Arteries from Fast Food
There is a window of time in which sufficient physical activity can help mediate some of the damage caused by eating an unhealthy meal.
-
Saturated Fat Causes Artery and Lung Inflammation
What happens within hours of eating a high-fat meal?
-
Should You Get Personalized Genetic Risk Testing?
Overrated “precision medicine” may just be serving vested interests, and consumer DNA testing can be useless—or even worse.
-
Do the Health Benefits of Peanut Butter Include Longevity?
Why are nuts associated with decreased mortality, but not peanut butter?
-
How to Boost FGF21 with Diet for Longevity
Fasting and exercise can boost the longevity hormone FGF21, but what can we eat—or avoid eating—to get similar effects?
-
Life Extension with FGF21
What can we do to boost the longevity hormone FGF21?
-
Which Foods Are Anti-Inflammatory?
Foods that reduce inflammation. What does an anti-inflammatory diet look like?
-
Foods That Cause Inflammation
Inflammatory markers can double within six hours of eating a pro-inflammatory meal. Which foods are the worst?
-
Pomegranate: A Natural Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pomegranates are put to the test for weight loss, diabetes, COPD, prostate cancer, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
-
Onions Put to the Test for Weight Loss, Cholesterol, and PCOS Treatment
Weight loss, cholesterol, and PCOS treatment with diet. What can an eighth of a teaspoon a day of onion powder do for body fat, and what can raw red onion do for cholesterol?