Cholesterol

A: Cholesterol is an essential fat that is produced from the liver. Not all cholesterol is bad however. 
There are two types of cholesterol that we are familiar with – HDL and LDL. 
HDL’s or High Density Lipoproteins are deemed ‘good’ because they move cholesterol from the blood and away from artery walls back to the liver which further leads to its removal from the body. Hence HDL assist in keeping cholesterol from building up in the walls of the arteries and causing disease such as atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis. If your HDL is low, this increases the chance of heart attacks and strokes. 
LDL’s or Low Density Lipoproteins are referred to as ‘bad’ because it greatly affects your risk of heart attacks and strokes. This cholesterol circulates in blood and leads to a slow build-up of deposits on arterial walls of the heart and brain. Put simply, the lower your LDL the lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.