Portfolio Diet Can Help Lower Cholesterol, Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Share on PinterestNew research from the American Heart Association suggests that following the portfolio diet can help lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. Mavocado/Getty Images

• New research indicates that a new diet known as the portfolio diet might help lower LDL cholesterol.
• The portfolio diet is similar to more commonly-known eating plans like the Mediterranean and DASH but places a greater emphasis on plant-based proteins.
• Experts shared the pros and cons of the portfolio diet and ways people can begin to implement it in their everyday lives.

Research suggests a specific diet plan might have heart-healthy benefits, and it’s not the Mediterranean or DASH diets.
A new study published in the peer-reviewed American Heart Association (AHA) journal CirculationTrusted Source on Oct. 25 indicated that adherence to the portfolio diet could lower a person’s risk of stroke and heart disease.

One of the most significant caveats? You might not have heard about it.
The diet was not included in the AHA’s scientific statement on 10 popular heart-healthy diets when it was published in April 2023Trusted Source (DASH got a perfect score, and the Mediterranean and pescetarian diets were in the top three).

An AHA press releaseTrusted Source indicates that the reason the portfolio diet was left off is because it’s not common, and the statement evaluated popular plans.
So, what is the portfolio diet?

“The portfolio diet is a specialized dietary pattern aimed at reducing ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” says Dr. Jessica Schachter, DO, an interventional cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif. “It comprises specific plant-based foods and components known for their cholesterol-lowering properties.”

Plant-based is a keyword. Whereas DASH and Mediterranean diets don’t discourage lean animal protein, the portfolio diet does.

Components of the portfolio diet
The portfolio diet was created by Dr. David J.A. Jenkins, a Canadian researcher, explains Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, a registered dietician with Blance One Supplements.
“The portfolio diet is a dietary approach that was developed to help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease,” Best says. “It is not a specific weight loss diet but rather a way of eating that focuses on incorporating a variety of heart-healthy foods.”
NJ-based dietitian and author of 2-Day Diabetes Diet Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, explains there are four components of the portfolio diet:

• Soluble fiber, which is commonly found in foods like oats, barley, and psyllium
• Soy protein, which is in tofu, tempeh, and soy milk
• Plant sterols, which naturally occur in plants like lentils, fruits, and vegetables and might be added to juice and yogurt
• Nuts like almonds, peanuts, and walnuts

Though the portfolio diet isn’t as known as the Mediterranean and DASH, the new study in Circulation is not the first to point to its potential benefits.
For instance, in 2021Trusted Source, research of more than 123,000 postmenopausal women indicated that higher adherence to the portfolio diet lowered instances of cardiovascular and coronary events and heart failure. The authors called for further research in other populations.

Other research from 2021Trusted Source indicated that the diet lowered low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in overweight adults. The optimal range for LDL cholesterol is about 100 mg/dl, according to the CDCTrusted Source, and experts share it’s crucial to be within that range.

“LDL is low-density lipoprotein cholesterol that is also referred to as bad cholesterol,” says Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer at VitalSolution. “This form of cholesterol can form plaque within the artery that can limit blood flow or rupture, causing an acute heart attack or stroke.”

And experts share that the foods emphasized in the portfolio diet might have cholesterol-lowering benefits.
“Transitioning to a more plant-based diet rich in high-fiber foods while reducing saturated fat in the diet has been shown to improve blood lipids,” Palinski-Wade says.

“In addition, specific foods that are recommended in the diet, such as almonds, have been directly linked with cardiovascular benefits. Adding tree nuts, like almonds, to the diet regularly has been shown to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels.”