A Plant-Based Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Also Saves Lives

At the Kahn Center, we emphasize the overwhelming science favoring plant-based diets for health and disease prevention.  On pattern of plant-based eating developed at the University of Toronto is the Portfolio Diet.

The Portfolio Diet, a dietary pattern of cholesterol-lowering foods, has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in clinical trials and lower CVD risk in observational cohorts of mainly white men and women. Until now, evidence for the Portfolio Diet reducing mortality risk has been absent.

The Portfolio Diet is a novel plant-based diet that incorporates increased soy protein, nuts, soluble fiber, and plant sterols to mitigate cholesterol and lipids, thereby promoting long-term cardiovascular health.

A new study now addresses this pattern of eating and mortality. 

STUDY

A total of 14,835 US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES (1988–1994), were included. Diet was assessed by a 24-h dietary recall which was supplemented with a food frequency questionnaire at baseline using the Portfolio Diet Score (PDS), with positive points for nuts, plant protein, viscous fiber, phytosterols, and plant monounsaturated fatty acid sources, and negative points for foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. The primary outcome was CVD mortality. Other mortality outcomes included coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

During 22 years of follow-up, 2300 CVD deaths, including 1887 CHD deaths, 413 stroke deaths, and 6238 all-cause deaths were documented.

Greater adherence to the Portfolio Diet was inversely associated with risk factors including blood lipids, glycemia, and inflammation.

The more "points" assigned for adhering to the Portfolio Diet pattern was associated with a 12%, 14%, and 12% lower risk of CVD, CHD, and all-cause mortality after adjustments for known CVD risk factors.

Comparing the highest to lowest tertiles of the PDS, higher PDS was associated with 16%, 18%, and 14%lower risk of CVD, CHD, and all-cause mortality, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Among a national cohort of racially diverse adults in the US, greater adherence to the Portfolio dietary pattern was inversely and prospectively associated with CVD, CHD, and all-cause mortality.

The large cohort study demonstrates a long-term association with cardiovascular benefits and greater adherence to a plant-based Portfolio Diet.

The study was limited by the study’s observational design and reliance on single-time-point dietary recall. Despite this, the Portfolio Diet may offer many benefits for cardiovascular health.

At the Kahn Center, we will continue to teach plant-based diets. For those not ready to eat 100% plant foods, the Porfolio Diet is a proven step forward in that direction.