Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer lifeLive your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletterLive your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletterThe Mediterranean diet has long been lauded as the gold standard for heart-healthy eating among experts. But a similar and little-known alternative can also help to dramatically slash disease risk and lower levels of harmful “LDL” – or Low Density Lipoprotein – cholesterol.Known as the “portfolio diet,” the plan is made up of a variety of fiber-rich plant-based foods that contain healthy fats. “A lot of different foods can lower [bad LDL] cholesterol, but only by a little bit — about five to 10 percent,” registered dietitian Andrea Glenn told Harvard Medical School. “The idea behind the portfolio diet was to combine many of these foods together to get a larger reduction,” she explained. open image in galleryEating strawberries and other fruits and vegetables listed as a part of the portfolio diet can help people lower their cholesterol and risk for heart disease. The diet was created in 2003 (Getty Images)The portfolio diet, created by a University of Toronto professor in 2003, includes protein-packed nuts of all kinds, as well as chickpeas, lentils, tofu and other kinds of plant protein. The diet recommends getting 50 grams of plant protein and 45 grams of nuts and seeds.And it calls for people to eat a good amount – 20 grams – of “sticky” or viscous fiber from strawberries, oatmeal or barley.”It’s found in grains like oats and barley, certain vegetables such as eggplant and okra, and fruits like apples, oranges, berries, and persimmons,” Glenn said. Plant sterols are another component of the diet — although those following it only need about two grams. The compounds exist naturally in nuts, soybeans, peas and canola oil and serve to help limit the amount of cholesterol the body can absorb. Lastly, instead of harmful saturated fats, people following the portfolio diet should rely on 45 grams of avocado and healthy plant-based oils high in healthy monounsaturated fat, such as extra-virgin olive oil and sunflower oil.It may be a lot to follow, but previous studies have shown positive results. Researchers found it could lower levels of LDL cholesterol by around 30 percent in 2003 and a study of more than 210,000 people published in 2023 found those who closely followed the diet over the course of 30 years had a 14 percent lower risk of heart disease.”We’re always looking at ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, and one effective way to do that is to lower blood cholesterol levels, particularly LDL cholesterol,” Dr. Kristina Petersen, an associate professor at Penn State in University Park, told the American Heart Association. open image in galleryA woman boils edamame soybeans in Tokyo, Japan. Soybeans and other legumes are a major feature of the diet, providing ample plant protein (AFP via Getty Images)Millions of Americans live with high levels of bad cholesterol, a waxy, fat-like substance that can block blood flow to the heart, triggering heart attacks and stroke.High cholesterol – considered to be any level over 200 milligrams per deciliter – is another risk factor for high blood pressure, kidney disease and peripheral artery disease.However, to reduce that risk, you don’t actually need to embrace every aspect of the diet. The more of the foods in the diet you eat, the better the benefits, researchers say.”It’s not an all-or-nothing approach. You can take your own diet and make a few small changes and see cardiovascular benefits,” Glenn told the AHA. “You also do not have to follow it as a strict vegan or vegetarian diet to see benefits, but the more of the foods (from the portfolio diet) that you eat, the greater your heart disease risk protection.”
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The lesser known diet that can boost your heart health
