The breakdown of your total cholesterol comprises two primary constituents, namely HDL (good) cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol. However, harmful cholesterol types in your blood extend beyond LDL and encompass VLDL (very low-density lipoproteins) and other lipoproteins that are believed to be even more detrimental than LDL cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol is obtained by deducting your HDL cholesterol value from the total cholesterol value. Consequently, it incorporates all the non-protective and potentially harmful cholesterol in your blood, not just LDL. Thus, it is considered a better indicator of cardiovascular risk compared to total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. The recommended non-HDL cholesterol level is below 4 mmol/L.