Diet Plan Endorsed by Leading Heart Health Organization: The ‘Portfolio Diet’
Move over, Mediterranean diet. The nation’s top organization dedicated to improving heart health has officially endorsed the lesser-known ‘portfolio diet’. Designed by researchers from Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, this diet is a combination of various cholesterol-lowering foods, similar to diversifying a stock portfolio with promising investments.
While not as well-known as other popular diets, such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet, the ‘portfolio diet’ shares many similarities. It encourages the consumption of plant-based proteins instead of red meat and emphasizes complex, fibrous foods like oatmeal and healthy fats like nuts. However, this diet is more plant-forward and discourages animal proteins more than other dietary patterns.
Foods to Add to Your Daily Portfolio
- Fruits: avocados, pears, apples, oranges, bananas, kiwi, peaches
- Vegetables: okra, eggplant, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios
- Seeds: flaxseed, sunflower seeds, chia seeds
- Whole grains: oats, quinoa, brown rice, barley
- Legumes: black beans, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, lima beans
- Soy protein: tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy cold cuts, soy veggie burgers
- Healthy fats: margarine and vegetable oils enriched with plant sterols
Foods to Avoid
- Processed foods: chips, pretzels, fried foods, convenience meals, french fries, processed meats
- Refined carbs: white pasta, white rice, white bread, tortillas
- Sweets: cookies, cake, candies, baked goods
- Sugar: table sugar, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar
- Beverages: soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, energy drinks
Dr. David J.A. Jenkins, the creator of the Portfolio diet, explained, “We want people to look at the combinations of foods that will carry off, as in the financial world, a range of benefits weighted against reducing a range of risks.” The main goal of this diet is to improve heart health, rather than focusing on weight loss.
According to a study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation, participants who followed the Portfolio diet for 30 years had a 14 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease and strokes compared to those who followed a standard diet. Researchers noted that following this diet is as effective as medication in reducing LDL cholesterol levels, which are strongly linked to heart disease risk.
It is important to note that the portfolio diet is not an all-or-nothing approach, and one can see cardiovascular benefits by making a few small changes to their existing diet. The more foods from the portfolio diet consumed, the greater the heart disease risk protection. Although not as common as other diets, raising awareness of the portfolio diet is crucial in the effort to reduce the risk of heart disease.
