Understanding Cholesterol

You probably already know that too much cholesterol isn’t good for you. But what is it and how can you manage it?

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found naturally in the blood. Your body needs cholesterol to function properly but too much cholesterol can cause you problems. It’s mostly produced in the liver, but it’s also found in foods such as red meat, high-fat cheese, butter and eggs. If this sounds like bad news, then there’s some good news too. There are some simple steps you can take to reduce your cholesterol, and it starts with better understanding what cholesterol is and how you can reduce it – you’re in the right place!

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What causes high cholesterol?

One of the most common causes of high cholesterol levels in the blood is eating too much saturated fat. Lack of regular exercise, being overweight, drinking a lot of alcohol and smoking can also raise cholesterol levels.

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Is all cholesterol 'bad'?

Your total cholesterol level includes LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol and HDL (‘good’)-cholesterol – and the balance between the levels of these two types of cholesterol is also important.

Understanding your cholesterol number

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Reducing cholesterol

There are lots of different reasons for high cholesterol, but some of the most common causes – like eating too much saturated fat or not being active – are things you can do something about today. We’ve put together some handy tips to help lower cholesterol.

Tips for reducing cholesterol

Lowering cholesterol with the plant stanols in Benecol

You might already be doing some of the things that help reduce cholesterol, like exercise or healthy eating. The unique plant stanols of Benecol can help your hard work go even further.