A diet based on plants, nuts, and high-fiber grains helps lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) cholesterol more than a low-saturated-fat vegetarian diet, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Toronto (Canada) and the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) conducted a parallel-design study involving 351 participants with hyperlipidemia from four participating academic centers across Canada between June 2007, and February 2009. The participants received dietary advice for six months on either a low− saturated fat therapeutic diet (control) or two dietary portfolios that emphasized dietary incorporation of plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibers, and nuts. The main outcome measure was percentage change in serum LDL-C.

The results showed that the overall reduction rate was not significantly different between treatments. The percentage LDL-C reduction for the two dietary portfolios, however, was significantly more than the control diet, but they did not differ appreciably among themselves. Among participants randomized to one of the dietary portfolio interventions, percentage reduction in LDL-C on the dietary portfolios was associated with dietary adherence. The study was published on August 24, 2011, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

“The specific food components used in the portfolio have well-established cholesterol-lowering properties; on the basis of the reported intake of portfolio components, one might expect a 4% LDL-C reduction from viscous fiber, 2% each from nuts and soy, and 5% from plant sterols, resulting in 13% LDL-C reduction,” concluded lead author David Jenkins, MD, of the University of Toronto, and colleagues.

The top foods that lower cholesterol include whole grains and oats, blueberries, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, avocado, olives and olive oil, flaxseed oil, cranberry and grape juice, fish and fish oil, black soybeans, pomegranate juice, and probiotic yogurts.

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