What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft and waxy type of fat found in cell membranes of body tissues and is transported around the body through the blood. Cholesterol is from the family of chemical compounds known as lipids present in all human beings. The origin of most cholesterol is not dietary in nature but instead is synthesized in the liver. In fact, only about 20% of cholesterol is consumed through foods like meat, seafood and dairy products.
Cholesterol plays a very important role in many bio-chemical processes. It is required in the workings of the the brain, internal organs, skin, etc. A few of the important roles of cholesterol are as follows:
- Formation and operation of cell membranes
- Formation of hormones
- Formation of Vitamin D
- Production of bile salts
- Insulation of nerve fibers
Although cholesterol is vital in the body's operations, too much cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Cholesterol flows through the body in the blood and can get stuck along the walls of blood vessels. As more and more cholesterol gets stuck, the blood vessels gets clogged as the size of the "hole" gets narrower. This prevents blood from flowing freely. Over the long term, this clogging of the blood vessels and the disrupted blood flow can cause damage to vital organs like the heart and the brain.