Heart health

Plant-based eating patterns have a number of characteristics which may contribute to their role in heart health. Plant-based foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds are lower in saturated fat and many are a source of fibre. A diet low in saturated and providing unsaturated fat and low in salt is important for maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. In addition, specific plant foods or components have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, e.g. soya protein, nuts, oat/barley beta glucans and plant stanols or sterols.

Table of contents

    Healthy fat profile of plant-based eating

    Lower intake of saturated fat coupled with higher intake of polyunsaturated fat helps to lower low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and supports a healthy heart. The recommended shift from saturated to unsaturated fats should occur without increasing total energy intake. One effective way to achieve this is by altering the overall dietary pattern by eating more nutrient-dense plant-based foods.

    Heart disease in the UK

    7.6 million people are living with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) in the UK today and it is one of the leading causes of mortality with an average 180 deaths each day.

    Cholesterol-lowering potential of soya

    Direct cholesterol-lowering effect of soya protein

    Several meta-analysis have shown the cholesterol-lowering effect of soya protein. Soya protein seems to be capable of directly lowering LDL-C by approximately 4 to 5%. The greater the initial cholesterol level, the larger the drop in cholesterol.

    Meta-analysis of clinical studies evaluating the effects of soya protein on lipid levels:

    Table with meta-analysis of clinical studies evaluating the effects of soya protein on lipid levelsSource: Anderson JW, Johnstone BM, Cook-Newell ME. Meta-analysis of the effects of soya protein intake on serum lipids. N Engl J Med 1995;333:276-82

    UCLP©

    The Ultimate Cholesterol Lowering Plan© is a revolutionary and practical approach to cholesterol lowering developed by HEART UK in collaboration with Alpro. It combines the latest scientific evidence for dietary modifications to actively lower cholesterol and integral to its application utilises motivational interviewing to tackle compliance issues – the common stumbling block to the success of lifestyle therapies.

    The UCLP© is based on the original portfolio diet by the Jenkins’ research group which involves the inclusion of four plant foods proven to lower cholesterol: soya and other plant proteins, beta-glucans from oats and barley, nuts and foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols.

    References:

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    5. Anderson JW, Johnstone BM, Cook-Newell ME. Meta-analysis of the effects of soya protein intake on serum lipids. N Engl J Med 1995;333:276-82.

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    8. FDA Approved claims: “Soya protein and risk of coronary heart disease”. Federal Register vol 64 no 206 Tuesday October 26 1999

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