What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids(fat) in the bloodstream
and in all the body's cells. It's an important part of a healthy body because it's used to form cell membrances, some
hormones and is needed for other functions. But a high level of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk factor for
coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.
Since cholesterol is in all foods from animal sources, care must be taken to eat no more than six ounces
of lean meat, fish and poultry per day and to use fat-free and low-fat dairy products. High-quality proteins from vegetable
sources such as beans are good subsitutes for animal sources of protein.
