Andrea Glenn 1 source tracked

Registered dietitian and nutrition researcher; Assistant Professor at NYU and Visiting Scientist at Harvard, focused on plant-forward diets and cardiometabolic disease.

About Andrea Glenn →

Andrea J. Glenn, MSc, RD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University and a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She trained as a registered dietitian and completed her PhD at the University of Toronto under Dr. David Jenkins, the originator of the Portfolio Diet. Her research focuses on plant-forward dietary patterns and plant-based protein in the prevention and management of cardiometabolic disease, drawing on both nutritional epidemiology and randomized clinical trials. She also works on identifying novel metabolomic biomarkers of dietary intake and on studying Food is Medicine initiatives.

Recommendations

Endorses

Avoids

Neutral

Protocols

Endorses Avocado food

In a protocol

Include avocado as a plant-based monounsaturated fat source.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 42:00

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

MUFAPlant Fats
Endorses Barley food

In a protocol

Eat barley as a viscous fiber source for LDL lowering.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 40:30

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Viscous FiberGrainsLDL Cholesterol
Endorses Beans food

In a protocol

Eat beans as a quality plant protein source for cardiovascular benefit.

“
tofu and beans and nuts

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 9:45

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

LegumesPlant ProteinCardiovascular Health
Endorses Canola oil food

In a protocol Alternative

Canola oil can be used as a healthy cooking oil; associated with lower mortality risk.

“
Sometimes canola oil

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:11:30

Certainty
personal only
personal use

Cooking OilsSeed OilsMortality
Endorses DASH diet practice

Alternative

DASH diet is another evidence-based heart-healthy pattern that reduces cardiovascular risk.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:01:00

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Dietary PatternsCardiovascular Health
Endorses Mediterranean diet practice

Alternative

Mediterranean diet is an evidence-based heart-healthy dietary pattern strongly correlated with portfolio diet.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:01:00

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Dietary PatternsCardiovascular Health
Endorses Nuts food

In a protocol

Eat nuts regularly for cardiovascular disease risk reduction and LDL cholesterol lowering.

“
nuts tend to always have a pretty good signal

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:00:25

Dosage
45 grams per day (portfolio diet target)
Caveats
Type of nut does not appear to matter for LDL reduction
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

NutsCardiovascular HealthLDL Cholesterol
Endorses Oats food

In a protocol

Eat oats as a source of viscous fiber for LDL lowering.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 40:30

Dosage
Contributing to 20g/day viscous fiber
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Viscous FiberLDL Cholesterol
Endorses Olive oil food

In a protocol

Use olive oil as a primary cooking oil for cardiovascular and mortality benefits.

“
I cook with olive oil mainly

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:11:30

Certainty
personal only
personal use

Cooking OilsCardiovascular HealthMortality
Endorses Plant protein food

Increase the ratio of plant protein to animal protein in the diet to reduce cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease risk.

“
higher plant animal protein ratio... lower risk of cardiovascular disease

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 3:45

Dosage
Ratio of at least 0.5 (1g plant per 2g animal) for CVD/stroke; closer to 1:1 for coronary heart disease; ~20% of calories from protein appears optimal
Caveats
Stroke benefit plateaus at 0.5 ratio
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Cardiovascular DiseaseProteinPlant-Based Diet
Endorses Plant sterols supplement

In a protocol

Supplement 2g/day of plant sterols to lower LDL cholesterol by ~10%.

“
2 grams per day, exactly

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 41:45

Dosage
2 grams per day via supplement or fortified margarine
Caveats
Open question whether elevated circulating phytosterols may be harmful; Dayspring suggests genetic testing first
Certainty
hedged
recommendation

Plant SterolsLDL CholesterolSupplements
Endorses Portfolio Diet practice

In a protocol

Follow the portfolio diet—a dietary pattern combining plant protein, nuts, viscous fiber, plant sterols, and monounsaturated fats—to lower LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.

“
both lowered LDL cholesterol by about 30%

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 38:00

Dosage
50g plant protein/day, 45g nuts/day, 20g viscous fiber/day, 2g plant sterols/day, plus plant MUFAs
Caveats
Adherence is challenging; soy and viscous fiber are hardest targets
Certainty
explicit
strong endorsement

LDL CholesterolCardiovascular DiseaseDietary Pattern
Endorses Psyllium supplement

In a protocol

Use psyllium as a concentrated viscous fiber source for LDL lowering.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 40:30

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

FiberLDL CholesterolSupplements
Endorses Soy protein food

In a protocol

Consume soy as a primary plant protein source for LDL cholesterol lowering.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 39:40

Dosage
Part of 50g/day plant protein target in portfolio diet
Caveats
Misinformation around soy persists
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

SoyPlant ProteinLDL Cholesterol
Endorses Tofu food

In a protocol

Prioritize tofu as a high-quality, protein-dense plant source for cardiovascular health.

“
focusing more on like tofu and beans and nuts

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 9:45

Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Plant ProteinCardiovascular Health
Endorses Viscous fiber food

In a protocol

Eat 20g/day of viscous (soluble) fiber from oats, barley, psyllium, citrus, berries, okra, eggplant, and chia for LDL lowering.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 40:30

Dosage
20 grams per day
Caveats
Hard to consume large quantities; very filling
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

FiberLDL Cholesterol
Avoids Alcohol supplement

Organic (prompted)

If not currently drinking alcohol, do not start; new guidelines have become stricter due to cancer risk.

“
if you're not consuming alcohol, don't start

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:30:50

Certainty
explicit
mild caution

AlcoholCardiovascular HealthCancer
Avoids Beef tallow food

Avoid beef tallow per American Heart Association 2026 guidelines.

“
avoid things like beef tallow and butter and tropical oils

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:17:50

Certainty
explicit
mild caution

FatsCardiovascular HealthAHA Guidelines
Avoids Butter food

Limit butter intake; highest consumers had 15% higher risk of total mortality.

“
highest butter intake had a 15% higher risk of total mortality

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:11:20

Certainty
explicit
mild caution

ButterSaturated FatMortality
Avoids Processed meat food

Avoid processed red meat where possible per AHA guidelines.

“
try to avoid processed if you can

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:17:40

Certainty
explicit
mild caution

Red MeatProcessed MeatCardiovascular Health
Avoids Saturated fat food

Limit saturated fat intake; replacement with PUFAs/MUFAs or whole grains lowers cardiovascular risk.

“
lowering your saturated fat content

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:00:20

Dosage
AHA: less than 10% of calories
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Saturated FatCardiovascular HealthDiabetes
Avoids Trans fats food

Organic (prompted)

Avoid trans fats due to harm to LDL/HDL cholesterol profile.

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 27:30

Certainty
explicit
strong warning

Trans FatsCardiovascular Health
Avoids Tropical oils food

Avoid tropical oils (e.g., coconut, palm) per AHA 2026 guidelines.

“
avoid... tropical oils

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:17:50

Certainty
explicit
mild caution

FatsCardiovascular Health
Nuanced Low-carb diet practice

Avoid animal-based low-carb diets; if low-carb, prioritize plant-based sources and whole grains over refined.

“
animal based had a 39% increased risk

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:13:20

Dosage
Healthy plant-based low-carb (~30-40% energy from carbs) reduced T2D risk by 16%
Caveats
Not ketogenic-level restriction
Certainty
explicit
recommendation

Low CarbType 2 DiabetesDietary Patterns
Nuanced Red meat food

If consuming red meat, choose lean sources and limit portion sizes.

“
choose lean sources... limit portion sizes

TP

The Proof with Simon Hill

The Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Like a Statin | Dr Andrea Glenn

▶ 1:17:40

Dosage
Lean cuts, limited portion sizes
Certainty
explicit
mild caution

Red MeatCardiovascular Health