a waxy substance obtained from food or synthesized in the liver. Some tropical oils, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil, also can trigger the liver to make more cholesterol. Together with other substances, cholesterol can form a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. Compositions of 50% cholesterol and 25% protein form LDL or bad cholesterol. Smaller particles with 20% cholesterol and 50% protein are known as HDL - aka good cholesterol - and act as a scavenger, carrying LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liverto be broken down and passed from the body. Condition with arteries filled with bad cholesterol is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, a heart attack or stroke can result.
