If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain. Together with other substances it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. If a clot blocks the flow of blood to part of the brain, the result is a stroke. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease. Medical experts think HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body.
People get cholesterol in two ways.
Typically the body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so people don't need to consume it. Saturated fatty acids are the chief culprit in raising blood cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease. Trans fats also raise blood cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol also plays a part. Some of the excess dietary cholesterol is removed from the body through the liver.