Sat-fat reductions not as effective for cholesterol reduction, suggests study

By Nathan Gray

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Nutrition Cholesterol Low-density lipoprotein

A diet that combines cholesterol-lowering foods may results in greater decreases in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels than a low-saturated fat diet, according to new research.

The study, published in JAMA,​ investigated whether consuming a diet consisting of foods recognized to lower cholesterol achieved significantly greater percentage decreases in LDL-cholesterol levels compared with a low-sat fat control diet over a six month period.

The researchers, led by Dr David Jenkins from the University of Toronto, Canada, reported that the use of the dietary portfolio of cholesterol lowering foods – which included foods such as plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibres, and nuts – resulted in greater LDL-cholesterol lowering during the six month follow up, when compared with the low saturated fat diet – which emphasized high fibre and whole grains but lacked cholesterol lowering components.

“Our data demonstrate the cholesterol lowering potential of a dietary portfolio intervention that counsels participants to increase consumption of cholesterol lowering foods,”​ said the researchers.

“Our study also represents the first randomized trial to our knowledge to assess the ability of an intervention that counsels for consumption of these cholesterol-lowering foods to reduce LDL-cholesterol at 6-month follow-up in real-world conditions,” ​they added.

Study details

The researchers noted that combining foods with recognized cholesterol-lowering properties in to a ‘dietary portfolio’ has proven effective in lowering serum cholesterol under controlled conditions.

In the new randomised controlled trial, 351 participants with hyperlipidemia received dietary advice for six months on either a low-saturated fat therapeutic diet (control) or a dietary portfolio that emphasized dietary incorporation of plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibres, and nuts.

Jenkins and his team observed that the control diet led to reductions in LDL cholesterol of 3% in a six month period, whilst the ‘portfolio diet’ containing foods to specifically lower cholesterol was found to reduce LDL-cholesterol by 13%.

“This study indicated the potential value of using recognized cholesterol-lowering foods in combination,” ​concluded Jenkins and his colleagues.

Source: JAMA
Volume 306, Issue 8, paged 831-839
“Effect of a Dietary Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods Given at 2 Levels of Intensity of Dietary Advice on Serum Lipids in Hyperlipidemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial”
Authors: D.J.A. Jenkins, P.J.H. Jones, B. Lamarche, C.W.C. Kendall, D. Faulkner, et al

Related topics Research Cardiovascular health

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Sweetening solution for active nutrition

Sweetening solution for active nutrition

Content provided by ADM | 19-Feb-2024 | Case Study

When you add GrainSweet® Liquid Maltodextrin to your active nutrition applications, you get the production efficiencies, clean labels, and clean tastes...

Golden Omega® Sustainability Strategy

Golden Omega® Sustainability Strategy

Content provided by LEHVOSS Nutrition | 11-Sep-2023 | Data Sheet

Commitment to sustainability at Golden Omega® is ever growing as they continue to put objectives in place to secure a better environment for the future....

Omega-3:Nutrition and Application Insight

Omega-3:Nutrition and Application Insight

Content provided by Cabio Biotech (Wuhan) Co., Ltd | 31-Jul-2023 | White Paper

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have numerous positive health benefits and are among the most extensively studied micronutrients....

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars