Dr. Sarah Berry

I would say that I think there's still lots of confusion around saturated fat and around cholesterol.

I would say that I think there's still lots of confusion around saturated fat and around cholesterol.

No, it's always a little bit more nuanced, a little bit more complex. But there are two ways that we can look at cholesterol. We can look at cholesterol in terms of the cholesterol that we eat. And that's where I think there's a lot of misinformation. And we can look at cholesterol in terms of the cholesterol that our body produces. So our liver is constantly churning out cholesterol.

No, it's always a little bit more nuanced, a little bit more complex. But there are two ways that we can look at cholesterol. We can look at cholesterol in terms of the cholesterol that we eat. And that's where I think there's a lot of misinformation. And we can look at cholesterol in terms of the cholesterol that our body produces. So our liver is constantly churning out cholesterol.

When the liver churns out cholesterol, it packages cholesterol into two different kinds of packages or two different types of parcels. And the labelling, so to say, on these parcels determines the health effects of that cholesterol. So you've got your HDL cholesterol, which we call our good cholesterol. You've got your LDL cholesterol, which we call your bad cholesterol.

When the liver churns out cholesterol, it packages cholesterol into two different kinds of packages or two different types of parcels. And the labelling, so to say, on these parcels determines the health effects of that cholesterol. So you've got your HDL cholesterol, which we call our good cholesterol. You've got your LDL cholesterol, which we call your bad cholesterol.

Yes. They're actually the same in terms of the cholesterol, but it's the label that... That's on the parcel, the label in terms of which is directing where they go, which is different. So in really simple terms, LDL is directed, posted to your peripheral tissues, to your blood vessels where it can be taken up and in the right direction.

Yes. They're actually the same in terms of the cholesterol, but it's the label that... That's on the parcel, the label in terms of which is directing where they go, which is different. So in really simple terms, LDL is directed, posted to your peripheral tissues, to your blood vessels where it can be taken up and in the right direction.

environment where there's inflammation or stress etc can result in atherosclerosis which is that kind of furring of the arteries which over time can build up and can lead to a you know heart attack etc etc hdl in very simple terms has a label on it that actually enables the reverse cholesterol transport so actually almost kind of cleans up some of the cholesterol and

environment where there's inflammation or stress etc can result in atherosclerosis which is that kind of furring of the arteries which over time can build up and can lead to a you know heart attack etc etc hdl in very simple terms has a label on it that actually enables the reverse cholesterol transport so actually almost kind of cleans up some of the cholesterol and

This is kind of in very simple terms. So if any lipidologists are listening, they might be a bit frustrated. But in very simple terms, it kind of brings it back to the liver for disposal. So that's why it's considered good. What we know is that the amount of LDL cholesterol that's circulating is really important in terms of our cardiovascular disease risk.

This is kind of in very simple terms. So if any lipidologists are listening, they might be a bit frustrated. But in very simple terms, it kind of brings it back to the liver for disposal. So that's why it's considered good. What we know is that the amount of LDL cholesterol that's circulating is really important in terms of our cardiovascular disease risk.

There are some cholesterol deniers, and I know you've had on your show a cholesterol denier. I don't believe in the evidence he presents. I think that the totality of the evidence is very, very clear that as your LDL cholesterol increases, your risk of cardiovascular disease, your risk of all-cause mortality increases.

There are some cholesterol deniers, and I know you've had on your show a cholesterol denier. I don't believe in the evidence he presents. I think that the totality of the evidence is very, very clear that as your LDL cholesterol increases, your risk of cardiovascular disease, your risk of all-cause mortality increases.

Where there is misinformation is around dietary cholesterol, that there was this perception years ago that if you have foods high in dietary cholesterol, like eggs... Yeah. that it will increase your circulating cholesterol and therefore increase your risk of heart disease. And therefore, there was a limit years ago put on how many eggs we should eat, how much cholesterol we should consume.

Where there is misinformation is around dietary cholesterol, that there was this perception years ago that if you have foods high in dietary cholesterol, like eggs... Yeah. that it will increase your circulating cholesterol and therefore increase your risk of heart disease. And therefore, there was a limit years ago put on how many eggs we should eat, how much cholesterol we should consume.

We now know within certain limits... So within the limits that we typically eat, our food containing cholesterol, that dietary cholesterol does not impact our circulating cholesterol. Obviously, at extremes, it does.

We now know within certain limits... So within the limits that we typically eat, our food containing cholesterol, that dietary cholesterol does not impact our circulating cholesterol. Obviously, at extremes, it does.

But if you're having one to two eggs a day, that's an intake of cholesterol that's not going to negatively, for most people, impact your circulating levels of this LDL bad cholesterol. If you're having 10 eggs a day, then I would be worried.

But if you're having one to two eggs a day, that's an intake of cholesterol that's not going to negatively, for most people, impact your circulating levels of this LDL bad cholesterol. If you're having 10 eggs a day, then I would be worried.