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Photo: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
As the new year approaches, searching for a diet or eating pattern that works for you may be top of mind. Whether you’re looking to follow a new way of eating or are looking to lower your cholesterol, there’s new research that highlights a specific diet that may help.
According to research published in October 2023 in theAmerican Heart Association’s journalCirculation, there’s a direct link between a specific plant-based diet and lowering risk of heart disease.
Want to learn more? We break down what the studies showed and what you need to know about the diet in question. Read on to learn more.
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What the Studies Found
Three studies that followed a combined total of 210,240 individuals were assessed. Each person’s eating habits were documented using food frequency questionnaires every four years, which gave each person a Portfolio Diet Score (PDS). Eating more plant protein and legumes, nuts and seeds, viscous fiber sources, phytosterols and plant monounsaturated fat sources was associated with a positive score; foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol were associated with a more negative score.
It’s not surprising that a plant-based diet can help lower cholesterol levels. A positive PDS reflects higher intake of cholesterol-lowering foods like high-fiber produce, nuts and beans. And on the flip side, including foods like red meat in your everyday dietcan cause heart problems. It’s important to note that the Portfolio Diet isn’t the only heart-healthy eating pattern around, as the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet have been noted to betwo of the best diets for your heart.
The Bottom Line
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