Cholesterol levels include total cholesterol levels, LDL cholesterol levels, and HDL cholesterol levels. LDL cholesterol levels are the "bad" cholesterol, while HDL cholesterol levels are the "good" cholesterol. As the name implies, total cholesterol levels refer to the total amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream -- combining levels for HDL, LDL, and another type of cholesterol known as VLDL, or very low density lipoprotein. Total cholesterol levels may be misleading, because a person can have a healthy total cholesterol level and still have a low HDL cholesterol level or a high LDL cholesterol level. A total cholesterol level over 240 mg/dL is high, and a level between 200 and 239 mg/dL is borderline high. A total cholesterol level under 200 mg/dL is ideal.