3 Common Myths About Cholesterol
June 1st, 2009 by 
Eric
Myth 1: Cholesterol is always a bad thing
Most people hear the word ‘cholesterol’ and automatically think it must be a bad thing. However, while HIGH cholesterol can be dangerous, cholesterol itself is essential to various bodily processes and is made by the body itself. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is carried through the bloodstream by low-density and high-density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL). LDL, known as bad cholesterol, and not the cholesterol it carries per se, is responsible for heart disease.
Myth 2: Eggs are full of bad cholesterol.
As with anything, don’t overdo it, but there is no reason why eating an egg or two a few times a week is dangerous. They are an excellent source of protein and contain unsaturated fat. They do have a lot of dietary cholesterol—upwards of 200 mg. But dietary cholesterol isn’t nearly as dangerous as was once thought. Only some of the cholesterol in food ends up as cholesterol in your bloodstream, and if your dietary cholesterol intake rises, your body compensates by producing less cholesterol of its own.
Myth 3: Food is heart-healthy if it says ‘0 mg cholesterol’
The biggest cause of high cholesterol is a high fat diet not a high cholesterol diet. Dietary cholesterol is less dangerous than once thought. Saturated fat such as those found in animal foods and dairy products and trans fats (found in packaged foods) have a far greater impact on the LDL, (bad cholesterol) that causes heart disease.