The majority of the fatty molecule called cholesterol is produced by the body in the liver.

The two main types are:

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

When you eat too many saturated fats, your blood levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol rise, which raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. By transporting excess cholesterol from areas of the body to the liver, where it is excreted, "good" HDL cholesterol has a beneficial effect.