Cholesterol Level Checker
Enter your cholesterol panel results (total, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) to see where you stand against ATP III and AHA guidelines, with personalised recommendations.
🫀 Understanding Your Lipid Panel
📊 Total Cholesterol
< 200 mg/dL
Sum of all cholesterol types
⬇️ LDL (Bad)
< 100 mg/dL
Lower is better — clogs arteries
⬆️ HDL (Good)
> 60 mg/dL
Higher is better — cleans arteries
🔬 Triglycerides
< 150 mg/dL
Fat in blood; rises with sugar/alcohol
The Total/HDL ratio is a strong predictor of cardiovascular risk. A ratio below 3.5 is ideal; above 5.0 indicates significantly elevated risk. Many cardiologists consider this ratio more informative than any single cholesterol number.
🥑 Foods That Lower LDL
- ✓Oats & barley (soluble fibre)
- ✓Beans & lentils
- ✓Nuts (almonds, walnuts)
- ✓Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel)
- ✓Avocados
- ✓Olive oil (extra virgin)
- ✓Soy products (tofu, edamame)
- ✓Dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa)
- ✓Berries & citrus fruits
- ✓Plant sterol-fortified foods
Why Cholesterol Matters for Heart Health
Cholesterol is a waxy substance essential for building cell membranes, producing hormones, and synthesising vitamin D. Your liver produces all the cholesterol your body needs — dietary intake adds to this baseline. Problems arise when excess LDL cholesterol accumulates in artery walls, forming plaques that narrow and stiffen arteries (atherosclerosis), which is the underlying cause of most heart attacks and strokes.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally. High cholesterol is one of the most significant — and most modifiable — risk factors. Unlike blood pressure or blood sugar, cholesterol often receives less attention because it produces no symptoms until a cardiovascular event occurs.
The Ratio That Matters Most
Rather than fixating on individual numbers, many cardiologists focus on the Total Cholesterol / HDL ratio. This ratio captures the balance between harmful and protective cholesterol. A ratio below 3.5 is excellent; 3.5–5.0 is average; above 5.0 indicates elevated risk. For example, a total cholesterol of 220 with an HDL of 70 (ratio: 3.1) may indicate lower risk than a total of 180 with an HDL of 35 (ratio: 5.1).
Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve Your Numbers
Dietary changes can reduce LDL by 10–30% without medication. The most impactful changes are: replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats (swap butter for olive oil, red meat for fish), increasing soluble fibre to 10–25g/day, adding 2g/day of plant sterols/stanols, eating fatty fish twice weekly, and losing excess weight. Use our Calorie Calculator and Macro Calculator to structure a heart-healthy diet.
Exercise raises HDL cholesterol — the single most effective non-pharmacological way to increase it. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week. Even brisk walking counts. Check your training intensity with our Heart Rate Zone Calculator.