Why Dietary Cholesterol is a Myth and Doctors Have It Wrong!

Alright, gather ‘round, because I’m about to blow your mind and change the way you look at eggs, butter, and yes, even your Sunday roast. If you’ve been told that eating cholesterol-rich foods like eggs and steak will send your cholesterol levels skyrocketing and give you a heart attack, brace yourself for a hard-hitting truth: it’s all a load of nonsense.

Yes, dietary cholesterol is a myth. And I’m here to tell you why. Strap in, we’re going on a journey into the world of science, food, and how doctors have been getting it wrong for decades. Ready?

What is Cholesterol Anyway?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is essential for the body. It plays key roles in producing hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids that help digest fat. The liver produces most of the cholesterol your body needs, but it can also be influenced by the foods you eat.

There are two types of cholesterol commonly discussed:

LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein): Often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, it can build up in the walls of your arteries and cause blockages if levels are too high.
HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein): Known as “good” cholesterol, it helps remove LDL from the bloodstream, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.

“The medical industry profits from your fear of cholesterol—selling you pills for a problem they’ve blown out of proportion. The truth? Your body thrives on cholesterol, and it’s not the enemy they made it out to be.”

The Great Cholesterol Scare – A Story of Fear, Misunderstanding, and the Carnivore Diet Revolution

Back in the 1960s, a guy called Ancel Keys did some studies and linked high cholesterol to heart disease. Doctors ran with this idea faster than a caffeine-fueled rabbit, and voilà—cholesterol became public enemy number one. For years, they’ve been saying things like: “Eat eggs? Bad idea! That yolk’s got cholesterol!” It was a bit like telling someone to avoid breathing because there’s air pollution. It doesn’t really make sense, does it?

Here’s the kicker: modern research has pretty much proven that dietary cholesterol doesn’t affect blood cholesterol for most people. Your body is way smarter than you think, and it doesn’t just keep pumping up cholesterol when you eat more of it. It adjusts. So when you devour that steak or bacon, your liver just chills out and makes less cholesterol. Genius, right?

The Real Culprits: Sugar and Processed Foods

Now, let’s talk about what actually messes with your cholesterol levels. It’s not the bacon. It’s not the eggs. It’s sugar, refined carbs, and processed foods. These bad boys are the true villains. They increase triglycerides (another type of fat in your blood) and lower your good cholesterol (HDL). In other words, all those foods you’ve been told are “healthy” because they’re low in fat but high in sugar? Yeah, they’re the real troublemakers. Go figure.

“Cholesterol is not the villain—it’s a vital part of your body’s function. The medical industry thrives on misinformation, pushing pills instead of teaching you that your body needs cholesterol to stay healthy.”

Saturated Fat: Not the Big Bad Wolf

Ah, saturated fat. The bad boy of the nutrition world. We’ve been told for years to stay away from it, but hold up: new research shows that saturated fat doesn’t necessarily raise your cholesterol the way we once thought. In fact, it can actually increase your HDL (good cholesterol). So, enjoy that juicy rib-eye and that full-fat butter without fear of your arteries clapping back.

But wait—don’t just take my word for it. Let’s take a look at some studies. People in places like Iceland, Greenland, and Japan eat a diet that’s rich in animal fats. And guess what? They don’t drop dead from heart disease at a higher rate than anyone else. In fact, their rates are often lower than those of people eating loads of processed carbs and vegetable oils.

Your Doctor Isn’t Always Right (Sorry, Doc)

Now, don’t get me wrong, your doctor probably knows a lot of things (they went through years of medical school, after all). But when it comes to cholesterol, many of them are still clinging to outdated ideas. They’re taught that fat and cholesterol go hand in hand, and they might prescribe you statins (drugs to lower cholesterol) without considering the bigger picture. The truth is, statins only lower cholesterol, but they don’t prevent heart disease. They don’t lower your triglycerides, and they don’t help with inflammation, which is actually a much bigger factor in heart health.

So, next time your doctor says, “Cut out those eggs, and for goodness’ sake, ditch the bacon,” you might want to politely nod and remember: you know better now.

“The more they scare you about cholesterol, the more they sell you drugs. But here’s the reality: your body needs cholesterol to build hormones, repair cells, and function at its best—stop buying into the fear.”

Cholesterol: The Naughty But Necessary Hero

Here’s the bottom line: cholesterol is not the villain you’ve been led to believe. It’s a necessary hero that helps your body run like a well-oiled machine. The real threat to your heart health is sugar, processed foods, and inflammation—not that delicious grass-fed butter you’ve been avoiding like it’s the plague.

If you want to eat a diet full of meat, butter, eggs, and cheese and still have healthy cholesterol levels, go for it. Your body is built to thrive on these foods. It’s time we stop demonising cholesterol and start focusing on eating real, whole foods.

Dr. Shawn Baker, Dr. Ken Berry, Dr. Paul Saladino and Dr. Robert Cywes (all carnivore diet enthusiasts, but to name a few) argue that cholesterol readings are inaccurate because they fail to provide a full picture of health, especially for those on a carnivore diet.

They believe that cholesterol, particularly LDL, has been unfairly demonised, despite being vital for bodily functions like hormone production and cell repair. Traditional cholesterol tests measure total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides, but these numbers alone don’t predict heart disease risk.

What truly matters is inflammation, LDL particle size, and insulin sensitivity—none of which are captured in basic cholesterol tests. Additionally, the body naturally produces cholesterol, and an increase in cholesterol levels, particularly when eating animal products, is often a sign of the body adapting to its new fuel source.

By focusing solely on cholesterol readings, we overlook the broader picture of metabolic health, which is a far more accurate indicator of long-term well-being.

A Bit of Humour to End

Here’s a fun fact: there are plenty of people who eat a ton of cholesterol-rich foods (think about those French people and their butter-filled croissants or the Italians with their cheese and salami), and they don’t drop dead from heart disease any more than anyone else. So, next time someone tells you to ditch the yolk, give them a wink and say, “I’ll stick with my steak, thanks. My heart’s just fine.”

In Conclusion

Cholesterol is not the enemy. The real issue is our reliance on processed foods, sugary snacks, and all the nonsense the medical world has been feeding us for decades. It’s time to wake up, enjoy the food that nourishes us, and stop listening to the myths. Go ahead—have that egg, that steak, that butter. Your body will thank you.

Sources for Further Reading

■  Cholesterol: Everything You Need to Know – Dr Kiltz, 2021 Read Article  ■  Why Statins Don’t Work – Dr Judy Cho, 2023 Read Article  ■  What Causes Heart Disease? (The Truth About Cholesterol) – Dr Paul Saladino, 2023 Read Article