Getting the blood test, understanding the HDL and the LDL, eating a low fat diet, and keeping that number under 200 has become standard health care in industrialized nations the world over. Well, maybe that isn't right. Here are some facts to consider. Cholesterol is an important part of and needed for the proper synthesis of every cell in your body.
Cholesterol is one of the building blocks that the body uses to make certain hormones.
Having high cholesterol does not cause clogging of the arteries in and of itself. The truth is that it is the oxidation of the LDL cholesterol in the body that starts the very complicated cascade of events that leads to the formation of plaques that eventually causes a clogged artery. I think the answer is yes, to a certain extent. It is clear that the more LDL cholesterol you have floating around, the more likely it is that it will get oxidized to start the chain of events that leads to clogged arteries. And this is a worthy goal.