{"id":500826,"date":"2026-06-15T14:01:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T14:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/500826\/"},"modified":"2026-06-15T14:01:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T14:01:05","slug":"portfolio-diet-food-plan-and-heart-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/500826\/","title":{"rendered":"Portfolio Diet: Food Plan And Heart Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a recent video<\/a>, surgeon, author, and medical myth debunker Dr Karan Rajan<\/a> said that the portfolio diet could \u201creduce your [low-density lipoprotein] LDL cholesterol as much as a statin\u201d. <\/p>\n

Statins are medications designed <\/a>to lower a person\u2019s LDL, or \u201cbad\u201d,<\/a> cholesterol levels, thus reducing their risk of heart disease and stroke.<\/p>\n

A 2003 study<\/a> found that the portfolio reduced LDL cholesterol by almost 29%. In other words, it seemed about as good as low-dose statins (those which reduce LDL cholesterol by 30% or less)<\/a> at lowering \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol.<\/p>\n

The British Heart Foundation cautioned that statins<\/a> may carry unique benefits and better-proven outcomes outside of just lowering LDL cholesterol. If you\u2019ve been prescribed statins, keep taking them as long as your doctor advises.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re trying to keep your LDL levels healthy in general, some research suggests<\/a> the portfolio diet can reduce \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol by as much as 30%.<\/p>\n

What is the portfolio diet?<\/p>\n

The diet, which was invented in the early 2000s by Dr. David J.A. Jenkin, is designed to combine several LDL cholesterol-reducing foods into a single plan. <\/p>\n

Speaking to Harvard Health<\/a>, dietitian Andrea Glen \u2013 who was involved in 2023 research that showed sticking strictly to the Portfolio diet was linked to a 14% lower risk of heart disease \u2013 said: \u201cA lot of different foods can lower LDL cholesterol, but only by a little bit \u2013 about 5% to 10%.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea behind the portfolio diet was to combine many of these foods together to get a larger reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n

How can I follow a portfolio diet?<\/p>\n

The portfolio diet focuses on four main components: <\/p>\n

Plant protein, especially soy protein, found in tofu, edamame beans, lentils, and tempeh.
Consuming these has been linked <\/a>to a 4-6% LDL cholesterol reduction, and the portfolio diet asks you to aim for least 35g a day.Plant sterols, like those found in minimally processed olive, sunflower, and rapeseed oils and fortified products e.g. some margarines, milks, and yoghurts.
A 2014 review<\/a> of studies found that eating up to 3.3g of plant sterols a day lowered participants\u2019 LDL cholesterol levels by 6-12% after four weeks, though consuming more did not lead to better results. The portfolio diet suggests 2g of plant sterols a day, which the British Heart Foundation<\/a> says you probably won\u2019t get from oils, fruits, veg, and grain alone: reach for plant sterol-fortified foods for the most effective doses. Tree nuts, like almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, walnuts, and pistachios.
These could help to reduce LDL cholesterol by anywhere from 3-19%<\/a>. The portfolio diet asks you to eat a handful, or 42g,<\/a> of tree nuts a day.Soluble fiber, which you can get from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (e.g. black beans, oats, Brussels sprouts, barely, sweet potatoes, carrots, avocado, and soft fruit, like apples and pears).
Getting enough soluble fibre has been linked <\/a>to 5-11 lower LDL cholesterol level points. The portfolio diet recommends 18g a day.<\/p>\n

Taking psyllium husk can help<\/a> if you\u2019re struggling to reach your soluble fibre goals, while (as we mentioned) fortified yoghurts, spreads, and milk products are probably the best way to help you meet your plant sterol target.<\/p>\n