Lower Cholesterol With Food: The Portfolio Diet Explained | Dr. David Jenkins

Can you lower LDL cholesterol by changing the foods you eat?

Dr. David Jenkins, the pioneering nutrition researcher behind the Portfolio Diet, joins Chuck Carroll to explain how a carefully selected combination of foods may help bring cholesterol under control.

Dr. Jenkins reveals why oats and barley may be particularly effective for lowering cholesterol, how their sticky soluble fiber interacts with bile acids, and why simply telling someone to "eat more fiber" may not be specific enough.

You'll also learn:

• The difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol
• Whether dietary cholesterol is necessary for good health
• How the Portfolio Diet was developed
• Why soy may lower LDL while replacing less healthy proteins
• The difference between fats from plants and animals
• Why nuts can be beneficial despite being high in fat and calories
• What extra-virgin olive oil may offer beyond unsaturated fat
• How plant-based eating can benefit human and planetary health
• Why partial dietary changes can still be meaningful
• How diet may be used alongside cholesterol-lowering medication

Dr. Jenkins is a professor of medicine and nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto and one of the world's leading researchers on diet, cholesterol, diabetes, plant protein, and soluble fiber.

Hear more from Dr. Jenkins at the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine, Aug. 13–15, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

🎉 ICNM - Washington DC - 8/13-15

👉 https://www.pcrm.org/icnm

Use code EXAMROOM100 to save $100 on tickets

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This episode is not medical advice. Always speak with your doctor about any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

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