Cholesterol Checker
Is Your LDL, HDL and Total Cholesterol Normal?
Enter your Total, LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides to instantly check your cholesterol category and 10-year heart disease risk. Get personalised action plan, WhatsApp share card, and free PDF report. Based on AHA and Framingham guidelines.
What Is Cholesterol?
Unlike blood pressure or blood sugar, cholesterol has no symptoms -- you cannot feel high cholesterol, which is why it is often called a "silent" risk factor. Regular blood testing is the only way to know your levels. A fasting lipid panel (blood test taken after 8-12 hours without food) gives the most accurate LDL and triglyceride readings. Non-fasting tests are also used for initial screening. Check your related cardiovascular risk factors with our Blood Pressure Checker and Blood Sugar Checker.
Normal Cholesterol Levels -- Complete Reference Chart
| Measure | Desirable / Normal | Borderline High | High / Abnormal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cholesterol | Below 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) | 200-239 mg/dL (5.2-6.2 mmol/L) | 240+ mg/dL (6.2+ mmol/L) |
| LDL (Bad) | Below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) -- Optimal | 130-159 mg/dL (3.4-4.1 mmol/L) | 160+ mg/dL (4.1+ mmol/L) |
| HDL (Good) | 60+ mg/dL (1.6+ mmol/L) -- Protective | 40-59 mg/dL (1.0-1.5 mmol/L) | Below 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) -- Risk |
| Triglycerides | Below 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) | 150-199 mg/dL (1.7-2.3 mmol/L) | 200+ mg/dL (2.3+ mmol/L) |
| Total/HDL Ratio | Below 3.5 (optimal) | 3.5-5.0 (acceptable) | Above 5.0 (elevated risk) |
| Non-HDL Cholesterol | Below 130 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L) | 130-159 mg/dL | 160+ mg/dL |
LDL Cholesterol -- Understanding the "Bad" Cholesterol
LDL targets vary by cardiovascular risk. For most healthy adults without known heart disease: LDL below 130 mg/dL is acceptable, below 100 mg/dL is optimal. For people with type 2 diabetes or intermediate cardiovascular risk: below 100 mg/dL. For people with known heart disease, previous heart attack, or very high risk: below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L) is the AHA/ACC target. Check your diabetes risk with our Diabetes Risk Score Calculator -- diabetes significantly lowers the LDL target.
Familial Hypercholesterolaemia
Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a genetic condition causing very high LDL cholesterol (typically above 190 mg/dL in adults) regardless of diet or lifestyle. It affects approximately 1 in 250 people and is severely underdiagnosed. FH dramatically increases heart disease risk -- untreated men with FH have a 50% risk of heart attack before age 50. If your LDL is above 190 mg/dL without obvious dietary cause, ask your doctor about testing for FH.
HDL Cholesterol -- Understanding the "Good" Cholesterol
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) performs reverse cholesterol transport -- removing excess cholesterol from artery walls and transporting it to the liver for disposal or recycling. Higher HDL is associated with lower cardiovascular risk, which is why it is the only cardiovascular risk factor where a higher number is better. HDL above 60 mg/dL is considered a "negative risk factor" -- it actually reduces overall cardiovascular risk score.
Low HDL (below 40 mg/dL in men, below 50 mg/dL in women) is an independent risk factor for heart disease. The most effective ways to raise HDL include regular aerobic exercise (the single most powerful HDL raiser), quitting smoking, losing excess weight, and reducing refined carbohydrates and added sugar. Use our Calorie Burned Calculator to plan your exercise routine alongside cholesterol management.
Triglycerides -- The Often Forgotten Lipid
Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the body and blood. They come from food (particularly carbohydrates, fats, and alcohol) and are stored in fat cells for energy use between meals. Elevated triglycerides are associated with cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and at very high levels (above 500 mg/dL) with pancreatitis.
High triglycerides are closely linked to high sugar and refined carbohydrate intake, obesity, diabetes, heavy alcohol use, and physical inactivity. Reducing dietary sugar is the single most effective dietary intervention for high triglycerides -- often more effective than reducing dietary fat. Track your daily sugar intake with our Sugar Intake Calculator. Also check your sodium intake with our Sodium Calculator as high sodium worsens overall cardiovascular risk.
Understanding the 10-Year Heart Risk (Framingham Risk Score)
Looking at cholesterol numbers in isolation misses the bigger picture. A person with mildly elevated cholesterol but who is young, non-smoking, and has well-controlled blood pressure may have a very low overall heart disease risk. Conversely, someone with only borderline cholesterol but who smokes, has high blood pressure, and is older may have a very high risk. The Framingham Risk Score combines all these factors into a single, more clinically meaningful risk estimate.
Developed from the landmark Framingham Heart Study (initiated 1948) and published by Wilson et al. in Circulation (1998), the Framingham Risk Score uses: age, sex, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, blood pressure treatment status, and smoking status. It calculates a point total that corresponds to an estimated percentage risk of developing coronary heart disease (heart attack or coronary death) over the next 10 years.
Framingham Risk Categories
- Low risk (under 10%): Lifestyle measures (diet, exercise, smoking cessation) are the primary recommendations. Statins are generally not recommended for primary prevention
- Intermediate risk (10-20%): Discuss statin therapy and intensified lifestyle changes with your doctor. Additional tests (coronary calcium score) may help clarify risk
- High risk (above 20%): Statin therapy is typically recommended alongside lifestyle changes. Close monitoring and cardiovascular specialist input may be appropriate
Important limitation: the Framingham Risk Score was developed primarily on a US population of European and African descent. It may overestimate risk in some populations and underestimate in others (notably South Asian populations, who tend to have higher cardiovascular risk at the same Framingham score). People with diabetes, strong family history of early heart disease, or chronic kidney disease may have higher actual risk than the score suggests.
How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
- Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats: Swap butter, ghee, coconut oil, and palm oil for olive oil, avocado oil, and vegetable oils. Replace fatty red meat with fish, skinless poultry, and legumes. This change alone can reduce LDL by 10-20%
- Eat 5-10g of soluble fibre daily: Soluble fibre binds cholesterol in the gut and removes it. Best sources: oats (the most studied), barley, legumes (dal, chickpeas, rajma), apples, and psyllium husk (isabgol). Each 10g increase in daily fibre reduces LDL by approximately 5-10 mg/dL. Check your fibre intake with our Fibre Calculator
- Exercise regularly: 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week raises HDL by 3-5 mg/dL and can modestly lower LDL. Exercise also reduces triglycerides and improves overall cardiovascular health. Use our Heart Rate Calculator for safe exercise zones
- Lose excess weight: Losing 5-10% of body weight reduces LDL by approximately 5-8 mg/dL, raises HDL, and significantly lowers triglycerides. Use our Weight Loss Calculator for a personalised plan
- Quit smoking: Smoking lowers HDL cholesterol and damages blood vessel walls. Quitting smoking raises HDL by 3-5 mg/dL within weeks and significantly reduces overall cardiovascular risk
- Reduce added sugar and refined carbohydrates: These raise triglycerides more than dietary fat. Limiting white bread, white rice, sweets, and sweetened drinks is the most effective intervention for high triglycerides
- Limit alcohol: Moderate alcohol raises triglycerides in susceptible individuals. Heavy drinking significantly worsens the lipid profile
- Add plant sterols: 2g per day of plant sterols/stanols (found in fortified foods) reduces LDL by 10-15% by blocking cholesterol absorption in the gut
