Glossary

antioxidant: A substance that inhibits oxidation.

apolipoproteins: Proteins that combine with cholesterol and triglyceride to form lipoproteins.

atherosclerosis: Development of cholesterol-rich plaque on the inner walls of arteries, which can eventually obstruct blood flow.

atherosclerotic plaque: A cholesterol-rich deposit on an artery wall.

biological variability: Fluctuations that occur naturally over time in the levels of a substance such as cholesterol in a person's body.

cholesterol: A fatlike substance that is produced by the liver and found in all food from animal sources; an essential component of body cells and a precursor of bile acids and certain hormones.

chylomicron: A large, extremely low-density lipoprotein that transports triglyceride from the intestine to fat tissue in the body.

combined hyperlipidemia: A condition in which LDL and triglyceride levels are very high.

familial combined hyperlipidemia: An inherited disorder in which the liver overproduces VLDL, causing high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides, or both.

familial hypercholesterolemia: An inherited disorder in which the liver cannot properly remove LDL particles from the blood, causing a very high cholesterol level.

fasting lipid profile: A laboratory test to determine the relative levels of HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol in the blood. Also referred to as a lipoprotein analysis, full lipid profile, or cholesterol profile.

fatty acids: The primary building blocks of lipids.

foam cells: Lipid-laden cells, named for their foamy appearance under the microscope, which contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.

high-density lipoprotein (HDL): A lipoprotein that protects the arteries by transporting cholesterol from body cells to the liver for elimination.

hydrogenation: The addition of hydrogen to a compound, particularly to solidify unsaturated oils.

lipids: Fats, oils, and waxes that serve as building blocks for cells or as energy sources for the body.

lipoproteins: Protein-covered fat particles that enable cholesterol to move easily through the blood.

low-density lipoprotein (LDL): A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body, which can cause the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

monounsaturated fats: Fatty acids; abundant in olive, peanut, sesame, and canola oils.

oxidation: A process in which oxygen combines with a substance, altering its structure and changing or destroying its normal function.

platelets: Minute, colorless disks in the blood that are instrumental in clotting.

polyunsaturated fats: Fatty acids that are abundant in soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower, and sunflower oils.

saturated fats: Fatty acids that are abundant in red meat, lard, butter, cheese, and some vegetable oils, in which each molecule carries the maximum number of hydrogen atoms.

trans fats: Fatty acids (such as those found in solid margarine) that have been reshaped by hydrogenation; also called trans fatty acids.

triglyceride: The primary type of fat in the body and in the diet, formed from three fatty-acid molecules and one glycerol molecule.

unsaturated fats: Fatty acids in which some of the hydrogen atoms in each molecule have been replaced by double bonds; includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL): A lipoprotein that transports triglyceride manufactured in the liver to fat tissue in the body; eventually becomes low-density lipoprotein (LDL) after the triglyceride has been removed.