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 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'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.

Switching from foods high in saturated fats (like butter) to foods high in refined carbs (like white bread or sugar) doesn’t change your good-to-bad cholesterol balance or lower your risk of heart disease.

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.

If you swap out foods high in saturated fats (like butter or cheese) for sugary snacks and drinks, it might mess up your blood fats in a bad way—raising triglycerides, lowering good cholesterol, and raising total cholesterol—which could make your heart more at risk.