If you swap out butter and fatty meats for bread, pasta, or olive oil, your blood might show higher levels of a type of fat particle called lipoprotein(a), which could be a concern for heart health — carbs raise it more than olive oil.

If you swap out butter or fatty meats for bread or pasta, your bad cholesterol goes up more than if you swap them out for olive oil or avocado — and the difference is pretty small, but it’s there.

If you're at risk for metabolic problems, swapping butter or fatty meats for olive oil or avocados doesn't drop your 'good' cholesterol as much as swapping them for bread or sugar.

If you swap out butter and fatty meats for foods like olive oil and avocados instead of swapping them for bread or sugar, your blood fat levels drop more — and that’s especially true if you already have health risks like high cholesterol or insulin resistance.

If you swap out butter and fatty meats for oils and nuts, your 'bad' cholesterol goes down, which helps prevent clogged arteries and heart problems.

When African Americans eat less saturated fat (like butter and fatty meat) and more carbs (like fruits and whole grains), their bad cholesterol (LDL) goes down, but another dangerous blood fat called Lp(a) goes up—so one risk goes down while another goes up.