Rethinking Cholesterol Counseling

This episode is part of our four-part Avocados in Practice mini-series, sponsored by Avocados – Love One Today®. Today, we're tackling one of the most common nutrition conversations in practice: cholesterol. Nutrition counseling often focuses on what patients should stop eating, but what should we encourage them to eat more of? Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN, joins me to discuss the types of food substitutions that can impact cholesterol, how current heart health guidelines support a food-first approach, and what the latest research tells us about improving cholesterol through practical, sustainable nutrition changes such as swapping foods with saturated fat for avocado We Cover Why restriction alone often isn't enough for cholesterol counseling The science behind swapping saturated fat with unsaturated fats The types of food swaps that may improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels Nutrients that support cholesterol management and overall heart health, including fiber and unsaturated fats Creative ways patients can incorporate avocados to get more unsaturated fats and fiber beyond avocado toast Resources Mentioned: Avocados and Cholesterol Reduce Saturated Fat Intake With Fresh Avocados Avocados and Plant Sterols Avocados, Cholesterol and You (Handout) Effects of Replacing Solid Fats and Added Sugars with Avocado in Adults with Elevated Cardiometabolic Risk: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Feeding, Crossover Trial Don't miss the rest of the series: Episode 1: Why Feeling Full Matters for Weight Loss About Today's Sponsor Avocados – Love One Today® is a leading source of the healthiest reasons and tastiest ways to enjoy fresh avocados. Backed by science, Love One Today provides turnkey solutions that make it easy for health professionals to stay on top of the latest research and confidently recommend fresh avocados to patients. Embracing the diversity of Latin flavors and traditions while promoting a healthier lifestyle, Aguacates - Love One Today® also offers culturally inspired recipes, tips, and educational handouts para Latinos. Visit LoveOneToday.com for free evidence-based resources, recipes and patient education materials. Any Questions? Send Me a Message Support the show Connect with Colleen: Instagram LinkedIn Sign up for my FREE Newsletter - Nutrition hot-topics delivered to your inbox each week. Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.