Cholesterol is a vital component of our cells, which is why our body makes all that we need. Elevated cholesterol in our blood is implicated in many serious health concerns. We know that many whole-food sources of fat, like nuts, can lower our levels. What about avocados? Can we dig into some guacamole and get cholesterol-lowering benefits, or is that just spin by the avocado industry?

What Are the Dangers of High Cholesterol?

For most of us eating a conventional diet, plaque accumulates inside the coronary arteries that feed our heart muscle. This plaque buildup, known as atherosclerosis, is the hardening of the arteries by pockets of cholesterol-rich fatty material that builds up beneath the inner linings of the blood vessels. This process seems to occur over decades, slowly bulging into the space inside the arteries, narrowing the path in which our blood flows.

Restriction of blood circulation to the heart may lead to chest pain and pressure when we try to exert ourselves. If the plaque ruptures, a blood clot may form within the artery. This sudden blockage of blood flow may cause a heart attack, damaging or even killing part of the heart.