A waxy substance in the chemical family of alcohols synthesized in the liver and used by the body to produce bile, hormones, and nerve tissue

Cholesterol is a critically important compound in the human body. It is synthesized in the liver and used in manufacture of bile, hormones, and nerve tissue. High levels of cholesterol have been linked to heart disease.

The liver can manufacture about 600 mg of cholesterol a day, an adequate amount to meet the body's need. But cholesterol is also a part of the human diet, and it is found in many foods. A single egg yolk, for example, contains about 250 mg of cholesterol. Organ meats—like liver and kidneys—are particularly rich in the compound. A 3 oz (85 g) serving of beef liver, for example, contains about 372 mg of cholesterol and a similar-size serving of calves' brain contains about 2,700 mg of cholesterol. Because diets differ...