Daniel Lubetzky

Food Business News has reported on a study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association which claims that plant based diets lower “bad” cholesterol.  People who stuck to a plant based diet experienced a greater reduction in LDL (“bad” cholesterol) compared to those who maintained a low-saturated fat diet.  Read more below to see  why eating nuts is better  than low fat diets against bad cholesterol.

Spotted by Daniel Lubetzky, by Adeena Schlussel

Plant-based diet lowers L.D.L more than low-fat diet

FoodBusinessNews.net, Aug. 24, 2011

by Jeff Gelski

TORONTO — People who followed a plant-based diet that incorporated plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibers and nuts had more of a reduction in L.D.L., or “bad” cholesterol, than those who followed a low-saturated fat diet in a study in Canada that appeared in the Aug. 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

People in the study received dietary advice for 6 months on either a low-saturated fat therapeutic diet or the plant-based diet. People on the low-fat diet were given advice focused on low-fat dairy and whole grain cereals together with fruits and vegetables and avoidance of specific portfolio components in the other diet. The people taking the plant-based diet were divided into two groups. One group made two clinic visits over 6 months. The other plant-based group had a more intensive dietary portfolio and made seven clinic visits over 6 months.

L.D.L. fell 13.8% for people in the intensive, plant-based diet group as the mean L.D.L. dropped to 145 from 171. L.D.L. fell 13.1% for people in the other plant-based diet group as the mean L.D.L. dropped to 148 from 173. L.D.L fell 3% for people on the low-fat diet as the mean L.D.L. dropped to 161 from 167.

The study was conducted between 2007 and 2009 and involved academic centers in Quebec City, Que.; Toronto; Winnipeg, Man.; and Vancouver, B.C. The final analysis included 83 people in the intensive, plant-based diet group, 94 people in the other plant-based diet group and 90 people in the low-saturated fat diet group.

The study measured results for other factors besides L.D.L. cholesterol. Mean decreases for total cholesterol were 225 from 252 for people in the intensive, plant-based diet group, 230 from 256 for people in the other plant-based diet group and 246 from 249 for people in the low-saturated fat diet group. A mean decrease in H.D.L., “good” cholesterol, was 53 from 55 for people in the intensive, plant-based diet group. H.D.L. “good” cholesterol remained at 54 for people in the other plant-based diet group and also at 54 for people in the low-saturated fat diet group.

Mean decreases in saturated fat consumption per day were 14 grams from 20 grams for the intensive, plant-based diet group, 14 grams from 19 grams for the other plant-based diet group, and 14 grams from 18 grams for the low-saturated fat diet group.

For every 1,000 kcal, people on the intensive, plant-based diet had mean increases of viscous fiber (8.2 grams from 1 gram), plant sterols (0.8 grams from 0 grams) and nuts (31 grams from 12 grams). People on the other plant-based diet had mean increases of viscous fiber (6.1 grams from 0.7 grams), plant sterols (0.6 grams from 0 grams) and nuts (26 grams from 11 grams).

People on the low-saturated fat diet had a mean increase of viscous fiber (1 gram from 0.6 grams). Their mean of nut consumption dropped to 8 grams per 1,000 kcal from 17 grams. Their mean of plant sterol consumption stayed at 0 grams.