Cholesterol is a pearly, fatlike substance.
Your body makes cholesterol in your liver for use in digestive and hormonal processes, and it is found in animal fats and oils and many other things we eat, including milk and egg yolks. As you've probably heard, the American diet is high in cholesterol, and that can be unhealthy. Too much cholesterol is now known to be an important factor in the development of heart disease, cancers, and gallstones. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated foods do not contribute to this process the way saturated fats do. Trans fatty acids are found in many commercial food products.