More research is needed to back up the current UK guidelines with reference to the amount of fat we should eat as part of our diet. But it's always a good idea to ensure a healthy, balanced diet.
Eating a diet similar to the one consumed in the Mediterranean has biologically been shown to lower levels of LDL cholesterol. Yet, scientists are still not completely sure what elements of the diet contribute to its effectiveness.
In summary, although cholesterol is an essential part of our diet needed for a variety of bodily functions, too much bad cholesterol can leave us susceptible to serious health complications like heart disease and strokes.
Fats particularly saturated fats have been shown to increase circulating levels of bad cholesterol in the blood and in some cases even reduce the good cholesterol needed to remove the excess. Lowering our intake of saturated fats can improve our health and life expectancy.
You can check your cholesterol levels at home by using a cholesterol blood test.