To answer this question it is important to know that there are two different kinds of cholesterol (blood fats/lipids): HDL- and LDL-cholesterol. While HDL-cholesterol has a protective effect in terms of cardiovascular diseases (1), LDL cholesterol is directly involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which in turn can lead to heart attack or stroke (2). LDL cholesterol transports fats from the liver to the organs. If there is an excess LDL-cholesterol remains in the blood and sticks to the walls of affected blood vessels causing atherosclerosis (3). According to a study adults who did not have any risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as smoking, diabetes or high blood pressure still showed evidence of plaques. It turned out that these findings are due to LDL-cholesterol (4). HDL-cholesterol on the other hand transports excess LDL-cholesterol in the blood to the liver where it is broken down (3). HDL-cholesterol has a cleansing function so to speak. In contrast to LDL-cholesterol, it is more harmful than beneficial to health when HDL-cholesterol levels are too low, better said elevated HDL-cholesterol levels even reduce the risk of myocardial infarction (1). All in all it cannot be concluded that cholesterol is bad for the heart. Rather, it is a matter of the ratio of LDL and HDL cholesterol, so the value of total cholesterol. A balanced total cholesterol does not pose any danger to an otherwise healthy heart. The myth is therefore only partially true.