UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians say substituting avocado for unhealthy fats in your diet can help reduce cholesterol, which can cause fatty deposits called atherosclerotic plaque that clog the coronary arteries providing blood to the heart.

That’s because avocados are high in monounsaturated fats, fats that are typically liquid at room temperature, and which help lower levels of both LDL and non-LDL cholesterol in the blood stream, says Dr. Monika Sanghavi, a cardiologist at UT Southwestern.

But be aware: avocados are not low-calorie. A half a small avocado is about 140 to 150 calories, which contains about 7 grams of healthful monounsaturated fat. Avocados are also high in potassium and fiber.    

“Avocados are relatively filling, because their high-fat content,” Dr. Sanghavi says. “So substitute avocado for some other fat.”

Here are some suggestions:

• Substitute cubes of avocado for cubes of cheese on a salad
• Smear a slice of bread with avocado instead of butter
• Float slices of avocado in tortilla soup and leave out the fried tortilla strips.

“The key is to replace saturated fat with monounsaturated fat,” Dr. Sanghavi says.

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Media Contact: cathy.frisinger@utsouthwestern.edu