Your number
Where does your LDL sit?
LDL is the cholesterol that builds up in artery walls. Slide to your number.
132mg/dL
Borderline high
Time for real changes, and a talk with your doctor about your overall heart risk.
Slide to your own number. Bands from the US ATP III table most labs print. Your own goal depends on your risk.
Your report
The four numbers that matter
- LDL, the “bad” one
- Goal: below 100 for most people, below 70 at high risk, and below 50–55 at very high risk.2,3
- HDL, the “good” one
- Below 40 is low, and it’s India’s most common lipid problem. Regular exercise nudges it up.1,4,10
- Non-HDL
- Total cholesterol minus HDL. The goal is 30 above your LDL goal, so below 130 for most people.4
New in 2026
What the new US guideline changed
In March 2026, American heart societies replaced their 2018 cholesterol guideline.
- Fixed goals are back
- LDL below 100, 70 or 55 depending on risk, with matching non-HDL goals.
- South Asians count
- South Asian ancestry is now named as a factor that raises your risk.
- Lp(a), once
- Every adult should test lipoprotein(a) once. It’s set by your genes.
India’s Lipid Association already used similar goals: below 100, 70 and 50.2,3
How to lower it naturally
What food can do in 4 weeks
In your kitchen
Five swaps that move the numbers
- Vanaspati, ghee, butter, coconut oilMustard, groundnut, rice-bran or til oil, mixed or rotated
Coconut oil raised LDL compared with other vegetable oils, and ICMR advises limiting all four.7,8
- Sweets, sugary chai, colaLess sugar, a little less each week
More sugar raised both triglycerides and LDL in trials.9
- Biscuits and namkeenOats upma, roasted chana, a handful of almonds
Soluble fibre and nuts lowered cholesterol in Indian trials.6,12
- AlcoholLess, or none
Cutting alcohol lowers triglycerides.8
- Sitting most of the dayA brisk walk, about 150 minutes a week
Aerobic exercise raised HDL, more so with longer sessions.10
Myths
What you might hear
They say
“Thin people can’t have high cholesterol.”
They say
“I’m vegetarian, so I’m safe.”
Actually
Most of the fats ICMR asks you to limit are vegetarian: ghee, butter, vanaspati, coconut oil and whole milk.8
They say
“My total cholesterol is normal, so I’m fine.”
Actually
India’s biggest lipid problem is low HDL, not high total cholesterol. Read each line.1
They say
“No symptoms, no problem.”
Actually
High cholesterol usually has no symptoms. Only a blood test finds it.13
See a doctor soon if
- Your triglycerides are 500 or more. Very high levels can inflame the pancreas.
- Your LDL is 190 or more, especially if you’re young or it runs in your family.
- A parent or sibling had a heart attack young, or your Lp(a) is high.
Call 112 for crushing chest pain that spreads to the arm, neck or jaw, with breathlessness or sweating.
Retest about 12 weeks after you change your habits. LDL responds within 4 weeks, and guidelines recheck at 4 to 12 weeks. Most cholesterol tests don’t need fasting.4,6,14,15
