Cholesterol waxy type of fat that circulates in the blood and is needed for the body to generate new, healthy cells. Consumption of saturated fats can increase cholesterol levels and high levels of cholesterol are associated with increased risk of heart disease. There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDL; also known as "bad" cholesterol) which can lead to cholesterol buildup in the arteries and high-density lipoproteins (HDL; also known as "good" cholesterol) which assists in transporting cholesterol to the liver for removal from the body.