Since cholesterol is a water-insoluble molecule it must be packaged for transport within the plasma. The particles that package cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, and triglycerides for transport, are called lipoproteins.
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Hunjadi et al. investigated whether  [[Matcha]] [[Green Tea]] Powder modulates the [[HDL]] function and thereby influences the atherogenic process in an [[animal model]] with a strong influence on humans situation.

After a pretreatment phase based on a standard [[diet]], ten female [[New Zealand rabbit]]s were fed a high-fat diet for 20 weeks. The treatment group was additionally administered 1% [[matcha]] during the whole experiment. Long-term matcha treatment led to lowered HDL [[cholesterol]], impaired [[cholesterol transport]] manifested by reduced in vitro cholesterol efflux capacity, reduced CETP-mediated cholesterol ester (CE) transfer between HDL and triglyceride-rich particles, and reduced macrophage-specific in vivo transfer, where we observed increased absorption of cholesterol in the liver but a decreased secretion into bile. Pulse wave velocity, assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance, was increased in matcha-treated animals, and a similar trend was observed for atherosclerotic lesion formation.

Long-term matcha green tea treatment of hypercholesterolemic rabbits caused impaired [[reverse cholesterol transport]] and increased vascular stiffness, and susceptibility for atherosclerotic lesion development.
((Hunjadi M, Sieder C, Beierfuß A, Kremser C, Moriggl B, Welte R, Kastner C, **Mern DS**, Ritsch A. [[Matcha]] Green Tea Powder does not Prevent [[Diet-Induced Arteriosclerosis]] in New Zealand White Rabbits Due to Impaired Reverse Cholesterol Transport. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2021 Aug 14:e2100371. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.202100371. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34391214.)).