Cholesterol Numbers Chart

Cholesterol is present in almost every cell of our body. The body is capable of producing required amount of cholesterol. It is required for production of hormones, vitamin D and bile acids. Your body receives cholesterol from the various foods you eat. Elevated cholesterol levels can lead to serious ailments like atherosclerosis and other heart diseases.

Types of Cholesterol

High density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) are the two types of cholesterol. HDL is the 'good cholesterol' while LDL is the 'bad cholesterol' which gets accumulated on the walls of the arteries and increases your chances of getting heart diseases. Therefore you need to lower LDL. HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL from your blood. So you are expected to increase your HDL by consuming more HDL cholesterol foods. Exercising also helps maintain good cholesterol levels. Often, triglycerides are also measured along with HDL and LDL. The following cholesterol numbers chart explains what are the desirable cholesterol levels.

HDL Cholesterol Chart

The unit used to describe cholesterol numbers is mg/dL (milligram per deciliter).

HDL Cholesterol Range Chart
60 or higher	Optimal
40 - 59	Close to Optimal
Less than 40	High Risk

LDL Cholesterol Chart

LDL Cholesterol Range Chart
Less than 100	Optimal Level
100 - 129	Close to Optimal
130 - 159	Borderline High
160 - 189	High
190 or higher	Very High

Those who have heart disease or atherosclerosis, should try to keep the LDL below 70. Those who have diabetes or are likely to develop heart disease due to certain risk factors, should try to keep LDL below 100 mg/dL.

While increasing HDL and decreasing LDL, you are expected to maintain a correct cholesterol numbers ratio. The HDL LDL ratio is calculated by dividing the number of HDL in mg/dL by the number of LDL in mg/dL. The HDL:LDL ratio above 0.4 is considered as normal but if your reading is higher than 0.3, it will be considered as 'within the normal HDL:LDL ratio range'.

Triglycerides Levels Chart

Triglycerides (TG) are a different form of fat which promote clotting of blood. But higher levels of triglycerides increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. They bring down the levels of HDL in your body.

Triglycerides Level Chart
Less than 150	Optimal Goal
150 - 199	Borderline High
200 - 499	High
500 or higher	Very High

Total Cholesterol Chart

According to the National Cholesterol Education Program, the following cholesterol numbers are considered as normal, borderline high and high.

Total Cholesterol Range Chart
Less than 200	Optimal Goal
200 - 239	Borderline High
240 or higher	High

Amount of Cholesterol in Foods

Foods High in Cholesterol	Serving Size	Cholesterol Level
Boiled egg	1	225 mg
Cheddar cheese	1oz	19 mg
Butter	3.5oz	250 mg
Cream cheese	1oz	27 mg
Ice cream	3.5oz	45 mg
Beefsteak	3.5oz	70 mg
Chicken	3.5oz	60 mg
Lamb	3.5oz	70 mg
Kidney, beef	3.5oz	375 mg
Liver, beef	3.5oz	300 mg

It is recommended that men over the age of 35 and women over the age of 45 should regularly check cholesterol levels. If you notice high cholesterol symptoms such as chest pain, eye problems, skin changes, etc., you should consult your doctor. A healthy, balanced, low cholesterol diet can help bring down the cholesterol levels. Along with dietary alterations, lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity, quitting alcohol, quitting smoking, leading a stress free life also help a lot in reducing blood cholesterol. You may keep a list of good cholesterol foods handy. I hope the above cholesterol numbers charts have provided you the information you were looking for.