7 day meal plan to lower your cholesterol

Have you every thought about trying a vegetarian diet? Well this 7-day plan is the perfect way to test it out! It was originally designed for Craig Melvin, who is a big guy (more than 200 pounds) and had an ambitious training schedule with Bob Harper. So the portions here are large, with a lot of protein.

If you’re smaller than Craig or looking to lose weight, simply lighten up on the serving sizes at meals, enjoy one or two daily snacks and omit protein powder in the morning smoothie.

So, what’s on the menu? You guessed it…tofu, lentils, beans, and “fake steak.” Try it for a week and see how you feel!

The 7-day plan

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Ready to hop on board? Here’s what you need to know…

• Eat on a schedule: at least every four to five hours.
• Mix and match any of the meal and snack options. Repeat favorite meals/snacks as often as you’d like.
• Include a non-meat protein source at every meal: eggs, dairy (yogurt, cheese, milk), quinoa, tofu, lentils, tempeh, starchy beans (chickpeas, black beans, edamame, etc.), nuts or seeds.
• Choose high-quality starch whenever possible. For example, pick whole-grain bread and pasta, brown and wild rice, quinoa, oats, baked/roasted potatoes and root vegetables, etc.
• Tote along nutrient-rich mini-meals and snacks, so that you’re armed with the right stuff when hunger strikes.
• Enjoy unlimited amounts of non-starchy vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, peppers, celery, cucumbers, etc.) at any point in the day.
• Drink lots of water throughout the day. Aim for at least eight 8-ounce glasses daily (64+ ounces total).
• Note: if you are a big guy like Craig and performing vigorous strength-training exercises, add a daily protein beverage (1-2 scoops protein powder + 1 cup low-fat milk; skim milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk) after your workouts.

Casey Barber / Casey Barber

1. Protein smoothie and eggs

To make a protein smoothie, puree 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 scoop protein powder (hemp, pea or whey), 1 small container of nonfat Greek yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1 cup preferred fruit (fresh or frozen), and 3 to 5 optional ice cubes. On the side, enjoy 2 hard-boiled eggs or 4 egg whites.

2. Protein smoothie and tofu scramble

Make protein smoothie. On the side, enjoy a Tofu Scramble.

3. Protein smoothie and oatmeal

Make protein smoothie. On the side, enjoy 1 cup prepared oatmeal topped with 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts and berries.

4. Protein smoothie and Greek yogurt parfait

Make protein smoothie. Make a Greek yogurt parfait by layering 1 cup plain, reduced-fat Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons granola and 1/2 cup chopped fruit, then drizzle on 1 teaspoon honey.

5. Protein smoothie and avocado toast

Make protein smoothie. On the side, top 1 slice whole grain toast with 2 tablespoons mashed avocado and 1 to 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts.

6. Protein smoothie and Craig McMuffin

Make protein smoothie. On the side, toast 1 whole grain English muffin. Stuff with 3 scrambled egg whites, sliced tomato and 1 slice of reduced-fat cheese. Enjoy with optional ketchup, hot sauce or salsa.

7. Protein smoothie and Joy’s Protein Pancakes

Make Protein Smoothie. On the side, make Joy’s Protein Pancakes using the recipe found here.

Casey Barber / Casey Barber

1. Bean burrito

Fill 1 whole grain tortilla wrap with 1 cup black beans, lots of vegetables, 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese and salsa. Enjoy crunchy carrots on the side.

2. Cold sesame noodles and edamame

Toss 2 cups cooked whole grain spaghetti with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. For sauce, mix 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter, 4 teaspoons low-sodium vegetable broth, 4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 to 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar and an optional dash of hot sauce. Toss sauce with noodles and garnish with optional scallions and chopped veggies (like cucumber and baby carrots). Season with pepper and sprinkle on optional red pepper flakes. Serve hot, cold or room temperature. On the side, enjoy 1 cup steamed edamame in the pod.

3. Garden omelet

Prepare omelet with 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites. Stuff with any preferred vegetable combination and the option for 2 tablespoons cheese. Enjoy with 1 slice of whole grain toast.

4. Veggie burger and quinoa-chickpea salad

Make 1 bun-less veggie burger. Enjoy with 2 cups of the Quinoa-Chickpea Tabbouleh recipe found here.

5. Baked potato topped with vegetarian chili

Prepare 1 baked potato and serve with 2 cups of vegetarian chili (canned or homemade).

6. Power salad

Toss mixed greens with unlimited veggies, avocado, tofu, black beans, chickpeas and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette dressing.

7. Chinese takeout

Sauteed tofu with vegetables. Serve with 1 cup brown rice.

Casey Barber / Casey Barber

1. Apple and peanut butter

Serve with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

2. Homemade trailmix

Combine 1/2 cup whole grain cereal, 2 tablespoons almonds and 1 tablespoon raisins

3. Greek yogurt

Enjoy a single container low-fat Greek yogurt

4. Chocolate protein muffin

Prepare Chocolate Protein Muffin using the recipe found here.

5. Pistachio nuts

Enjoy 1/2 cup of pistachio nuts in the shell

6. Banana and nut butter

Serve with 1 tablespoon nut butter

7. Lentil or black bean soup

Serve 1 to 2 cups of lentil or black bean soup.

8. Pumpkin seeds

Enjoy 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds in the shell

9. Avocado toast

Toast 1 slice of whole grain bread and top with 2 tablespoons mashed avocado and an optional sprinkle of pepper, salt and fresh lemon or lime juice

10. Almonds and pear

Enjoy 1 pear with 1/4 cup almonds

11. Veggies and Hummus

Enjoy assorted vegetables with 1/4 cup hummus

12. Cheese Stick and Orange

Enjoy 1 cheese stick and an orange

13. Greek yogurt and sunflower seeds

Top a single container low-fat Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds.

Casey Barber / Casey Barber

1. BBQ cauliflower steak, quinoa and edamame

Prepare Cauliflower Steak using the recipe found here. Serve with 1 cup cooked quinoa and 1 cup edamame in the pod.

2. Salad and pizza

Enjoy 2 to 3 slices of any thin-crust veggie pizza (frozen, restaurant or homemade). For a homemade version with a sweet potato crust use the recipe here or try this version with a cauliflower crust.

3. Baked Asian tofu

Prepare Baked Asian Tofu using the recipe found here. Serve with roasted broccoli and 1 cup cooked whole grain.

4. Vegetarian chili

Enjoy 2 cups of canned or homemade vegetarian chilli. For a homemade version use the recipe found here. Top with an optional 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar and/or nonfat plain Greek yogurt.

5. Buffalo tempeh “wings” with blue cheese dip

Prepare Buffalo Tempeh “Wings” using the recipe found here. Serve with mixed greens topped with 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup chickpeas and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette or make Quinoa-Chickpea Tabbouleh using the recipe found here.

6. Portobello pizzas and soup

Top 3 portabella mushrooms with sauce and reduced-fat cheese. Serve with 2 cups lentil, split pea or black bean soup.

7. Veggie burgers

Serve 2 veggie burgers, each on half a whole grain bun (1 hamburger bun total). Serve with kale chips made using the recipe here.

Reclaiming Health Through Whole Foods

At 55 years old, elementary school teacher Karen Brockway got a serious wake-up call. After a half-century of eating meat, dairy, and lots of junk food, she got news from her doctor that shook her to the core. 

Karen’s doctor told her that she was at extremely high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. She was told that she would need to seriously change her diet and lifestyle—and that her life depended on it. 

A 10-year breast cancer survivor, Karen knew that cancer was not something she wanted to mess with again.

She Tried Every Diet Out There—And None Of Them Worked

Karen had already been through a lot. Growing up as an obese kid in our society is not easy. Feeling out-of-place in her family and her social circles, she went through many difficult periods of feeling very depressed and unhappy with life. Over the years, feeling trapped in a body that seemed to be working against her, she tried every diet out there. She would lose some weight, and then gain it back and more—and none of them left her feeling satisfied, healthy, or happy.  

But after getting this shocking news from her doctor and watching the documentaries What The Health and Forks Over Knives, Karen took inspiration from her daughter (who had been eating a whole food plant-based diet for a few years) and decided to give a plant-based lifestyle a go. 

She Decided to Try Eating Plant-Based 

She started incorporating healthy plant-based meals slowly, first once a week, then twice a week…and she realized that it wasn’t that hard. After a few months, with the help of our plant-based meal plans, she had transitioned to a fully plant-based diet and was feeling better than ever. 

Karen’s primary care doctor wanted to put her on a statin drug to combat her high cholesterol for years, but Karen had resisted. She didn’t want to do it. And guess what? After just four months of eating plant-based, she visited her primary care physician and found that her LDL (bad cholesterol) had dropped a staggering 50 points. In four months! Without drugs.  

Her Cholesterol Fell & Her Doctor Was In Awe

Karen’s doctor was in total awe. Throughout the appointment, her doctor kept exclaiming, “50 points!” She had never seen anything like it (because she had never seen anyone try a whole food plant-based diet before). The doctor had no idea that there was a healthy cholesterol-lowering diet that actually worked. She was blown away. Karen was now in the normal range of cholesterol, and would not need to go on statin drugs.

In that moment, Karen realized she could never go back to the Standard American Diet. For the first time since she was seven years old, she was feeling healthy from the inside out. 

Listen to Karen’s story and get inspired in our latest episode of the Plant-Powered People Podcast.  

Karen’s story is not unique. As Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn explains in his New York Times bestselling book Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease, the number one cause of death in the United States (coronary artery disease) is not only preventable but also reversible. And people are starting to realize that they have much more control over their health destiny than they originally thought. 

Let that sink in for a moment. You can lower your cholesterol and reverse heart disease through a whole foods plant-based diet. That’s huge. And I don’t know about you, but I wanted to know more. Does the plant-based cholesterol-lowering diet really work? How long does it take? 

In our latest mini-documentary, we follow 24-year-old Raul Medina as he embraces a plant-based diet for 7 days. And in just 7 days, his cholesterol dropped 32 points. In seven days! 

A Plant-Based Diet = A Cholesterol-Lowering Diet

I’m not a doctor, but I’m sold. I’ve now witnessed time and again that this really works. And it makes sense. Our bodies produce all the cholesterol we need, and when we eat meat, dairy, and eggs, we’re loading our bodies with more and more cholesterol. Plant-based foods, on the other hand, have zero cholesterol! That’s right, cholesterol is not present in plants—it’s a lipid molecule that animals produce.

In other words, by going plant-based you’re completely cutting cholesterol out of your diet and giving your arteries a chance to heal. Our bodies have tremendous power to heal and recover from damage if we just get out of their way. 

The #1 Cause of Death In The U.S. (Heart Disease) Is Preventable

Do you or anyone you know has high cholesterol, heart disease, or maybe has even suffered from a heart attack or had bypass surgery? I hope you’ll share this with them. It very well could save their life. 

And if you’d like to check out the meal plans that Karen and Raul used to lower their cholesterol, you can find them right here. If you can afford to consult your doctor and get a blood test before you start and after a week or month of eating plant-based, I encourage you to, and I’d love to hear how your health changes! 

Cover photo from Canva.com. The information presented in this article is not to be construed as medical advice or used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or disease. This article contains Amazon affiliate links, and shopping through these links supports World of Vegan!

Will a Vegan Diet Lower Cholesterol?

Ah, cholesterol: the ultimate double-edged sword of bodily substances. It comes in good and bad varieties, is tied to heart health, cell health, and hormonal health, and is a necessary evil that our bodies make on their own. Thus, any added cholesterol is often considered to be a recipe for heart attacks, stroke, and other cardiovascular symptoms. There are many dietary means of decreasing the amount of cholesterol in our bodies, but will a vegan diet lower cholesterol on its own?

Will a vegan diet lower cholesterol?

When done properly, yes, a vegan diet can generally lower one’s cholesterol, since plant-based foods do not contain any cholesterol — but that of course depends on the individual. Nevertheless, it’s always best to consult a doctor or dietitian before abruptly altering your diet in any way. Well-planned plant-based diets are widely considered healthier than diets heavy in animal products, but your doctor and dietitian can advise you on the best ways to switch to such a diet, rather than just going cold turkey — or tofurkey, as the case may be. 

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According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), vegan diets have been shown to lower total cholesterol levels. In fact, when compared to omnivorous diets, plant-based diets have come out ahead in more than 49 separate studies. These same studies have shown that eating vegan can lower LDL or “bad cholesterol” by between 15 and 30 percent.

Studies reported by Medical Xpress indicate that switching to a vegan or even vegetarian diet is enough to lower cholesterol to some degree. When compared to omnivorous eaters, those who switched to vegetarian and vegan diets lowered their cholesterol by several metrics.

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Cholesterol levels are generally measured in terms of milligrams per deciliter. Adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet lowered cholesterol levels in several studies by a factor of 3.6 milligrams per deciliter and 3.4 milligrams per deciliter, respectively. 

Source: Getty Images

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What foods lower cholesterol?

Changing your diet isn’t the only answer, of course. Getting regular exercise, lowering your body weight, and reducing your intake of saturated fats can all help in reducing cholesterol. That said, there are plenty of plant-based dietary options that will assist in the reduction of cholesterol. 

According to Harvard Medical School, foods like oats, beans, barley, okra, and eggplant are all great sources of LDL-lowering soluble fiber. Soluble fiber affects cholesterol in the bloodstream, preventing the buildup of arterial blockages that often lead to strokes and heart attacks. 

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Source: Getty Images

Nuts, such as almonds, peanuts, and walnuts are good for lowering LDL and enhancing heart health. Believe it or not, oils and vegan butter can also help lower bad cholesterol. Using things like canola, sunflower, safflower, and margarine as replacements for dairy and lard-based oils can make a huge difference.

Many fruits and vegetables like apples, strawberries, grapes, and citrus fruits offer soluble fiber and a host of vitamins and nutrients without any added cholesterol. Harvard Medical also mentions soybeans, tofu, and soy milk as potential LDL affecters, but it seems as though their effects aren’t nearly as potent as some of the healthier options mentioned above.  

Cholesterol and a Vegan Diet

Cholesterol is a hotly debated topic especially when talking about high cholesterol levels and diet. There remains a lot of confusion about the dietary factors that raise or lower cholesterol levels. Some people turn to vegan or plant-based diets as a way to manage cholesterol levels.

This page covers:

1. What is Cholesterol?
2. Why is High Cholesterol a Problem?
3. What Diet Increases Risk of High Cholesterol?
4. What Diet Decreases Risk of High Cholesterol?
5. Lifestyle Changes vs Medication for Cholesterol Management
6. Can a Vegan Diet Prevent High Cholesterol?
7. Can a Vegan Diet Help to Manage High Cholesterol?
8. Recipes for High Cholesterol from Lettuce Veg Out

Please note: This is a broad overview of the topic and the details about physiology/ pathophysiology have been simplified for easy reading and understanding. Always speak to a doctor before making any changes to your diet and/ or medications.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a term that represents a group of molecules in the lipid (fats) category, meaning cholesterol is a type of fat. Cholesterol is an essential component of the body’s cells and is a precursor for vitamin D and steroid hormones (including estrogen, progesterone and testosterone).

The liver makes cholesterol molecules, but we can also consume cholesterol from foods. Since the liver can produce adequate amounts of cholesterol, cholesterol is not an essential nutrient. People do not need to consume cholesterol from food to survive or be healthy.

Why is High Cholesterol a Problem?

The blood is primarily water but fat and water don’t mix so the body needs a way to transport fat (and cholesterol) molecules around. It does this by using transporting molecules called lipoproteins.

There are different types of lipoprotein molecules but when talking about cholesterol levels, the focus is put on two types called HDL and LDL. HDL is considered a healthy type of cholesterol whereas LDL is considered “lousy” or unhealthy.

A diagnosis of “high cholesterol” typically refers to high LDL levels but always ask your doctor for clarification.

High LDL levels are considered a problem because they can “dump” free cholesterol molecules into the blood stream. This cholesterol can migrate into the artery walls. Over time, with prolonged high cholesterol levels, cholesterol deposits in the artery walls grow and form plaques ¹.

Plaques build over time and narrow the diameter of the artery ¹. This makes it difficult for blood to flow through sections of the artery that have plaque build-up. Plaques can build in different areas of the arteries and this disease process is called atherosclerosis ¹.

How Atherosclerosis Plaque Build-up Can Lead to Artery Blockage

The plaques that form in artery walls are not stable. They can rupture, and if they do, a blood clot forms to heal the rupture (just like a scab heals cuts) ¹. This clot could grow in size and block blood flow at the rupture site, or break off from the rupture site and get caught in an area of plaque build-up further along the artery, causing a blockage there ¹.

Either way, artery blockage stops blood flow to whatever organ or tissue the artery flows to. The event of having a blocked artery is called many different things, and depends on the organ that the blood flow was going to. The two most common organs this happens to are the heart and brain; we call these events heart attacks and strokes respectively.

What Diet Increases Risk of High Cholesterol?

There are numerous dietary factors that have been shown to increase and decrease cholesterol levels in humans. The two main factors shown to increase cholesterol levels are trans fats and saturated fats ^{2, 3, 4, 5}.

A diet that increases risk of high cholesterol is generally one that contains high levels of trans fats and/or saturated fats as well as lower levels of the nutrients and foods that are found to decrease risk of high cholesterol.

Trans Fats and Cholesterol Levels

In Canada, industrially processed trans fats are being phased out of the food supply. Therefore they shouldn’t be a huge concern as food manufacturers won’t be allow to use this type of fat anymore.

Trans fats have consistently been shown to increase LDL cholesterol levels and lower HDL cholesterol levels ⁴. This is a double insult to the body and is likely the reason why trans fats have consistently been shown to increase heart disease risk, and death from cardiovascular disease. They are also thought to cause systemic inflammation, which can lead to other chronic illnesses ³.

I am very careful with my wording around nutrition recommendations especially when talking about removing a food from the diet. However, if ever I were to say that something should be avoided completely, it would be trans fats.

Saturated Fats and Cholesterol Levels

Saturated fats are found in animal products and tropical oils (palm oil, coconut oil). Increased consumption of saturated fats increases cholesterol levels in the blood, particularly LDL levels ². The key word here is increased: if someone changes the amount of saturated fat they eat, we expect cholesterol levels to change with it.

Experimental research studies have been done to demonstrate the relationship between saturated fat intake and cholesterol levels. A meta-analysis of these experimental studies shows that when someone increases their intake of saturated fat, cholesterol levels increase ². If someone decreased saturated fat intake, cholesterol levels decrease ².

What Diet Decreases Risk of High Cholesterol?

Research shows that certain dietary patterns can help lower cholesterol. One diet in particular, the Portfolio diet, was pitted against a low saturated fat diet with cholesterol lowering medication and was found to be almost just as effective ⁶. The Portfolio diet’s name comes from the fact that it contains a portfolio of foods, each of which have been shown to decrease cholesterol, and together can have an even more powerful effect ^{6, 7, 8}.

Another diet that may be beneficial in lowering cholesterol is the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). The DASH diet was designed to lower blood pressure and to improve cardiovascular health. Some evidence suggests DASH is also helpful for lowering cholesterol ^{9, 10}.

A third dietary pattern that can improve cardiovascular health is the Mediterranean diet. Quality evidence shows that the Mediterranean diet can decrease risk of heart disease; one of the ways it does this is through improving cholesterol levels ¹¹.

All these dietary patterns have a common focus towards plant-based foods. Plant-based diets are often associated with lower cholesterol levels ^{12, 13}.

What Foods Decrease Risk of High Cholesterol?

Randomized clinical trials have shown specific foods that lower cholesterol levels. The Portfolio diet combined four of these foods, each with a different mechanism of action, to get maximum cholesterol lowering results ⁷. The four cholesterol-lowering food components of the Portfolio diet are:

1. Soluble fibre
2. Soy protein
3. Nuts (specifically almonds)
4. Plant sterols

A fifth food, legumes, are not specifically included in the Portfolio diet but legumes have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels ¹⁴.

Lifestyle Changes vs Medication for Cholesterol Management

Firstly, do not stop taking medications or make changes to your diet without consulting your doctor first. Cholesterol lowering medications can be life-saving.

Rather than questioning your doctor about the need for cholesterol medications, I think a better question would be to ask about the lifestyle changes that have been shown to improve cholesterol levels. In particular, a request to be referred to a Registered Dietitian could be a great way to go about safely implementing dietary changes.

Unfortunately doctors don’t have a lot of time to spend with patients. Lifestyle changes are hard and require specialized support. If possible, work with a Registered Dietitian to make sustainable lifestyle changes.

Again, let me be clear, while the lifestyle and dietary changes noted above are backed by research, they are not intended to replace cholesterol lowering medications unless you’ve explicitly discussed it with your doctor first.

Can a Vegan Diet Prevent High Cholesterol?

This article is about cholesterol levels and a vegan diet so it’s important to note that veganism isn’t about the health of an individual (it’s about animals). So, when talking about making dietary changes in relation to health, I prefer to use the term plant-based diet as that more accurately represents the fact that a plant-based diet is about the health of an individual.

It also helps clear up the fact that a vegan diet isn’t necessarily filled with health promoting foods whereas a plant-based diet is often focused around more whole foods.

Given what we know about plant-based diets and dietary factors related to increasing or decreasing cholesterol levels, it makes sense that a plant-based diet is one that could prevent high cholesterol.

However, for some people, high cholesterol is purely genetic and no amount of lifestyle changes can make an impact. This is one of the many reasons why it’s always recommended to listen to a doctor when making decisions about medications and dietary changes (if you are one of the people who has genetically high cholesterol, medications are likely to be recommended regardless of lifestyle).

Can a Vegan Diet Help Manage High Cholesterol?

What if you already have a diagnosis of high cholesterol? Would implementing lifestyle changes towards a more plant-based diet be helpful to manage high cholesterol?

Generally speaking, given the evidence above related to dietary factors that increase and decrease cholesterol, a plant-based diet (implemented under the supervision of a doctor and Registered Dietitian) could be a great option for managing high cholesterol levels.

Overall, limiting trans fats and saturated fats, while increasing intake of soluble fiber, nuts, soy protein, plant sterols and legumes is supported by research as the lifestyle changes to help lower cholesterol levels. Luckily, soy protein, legumes, nuts and fiber are easy to consume as a vegan or when following a plant-based diet.

Recipes for High Cholesterol from Lettuce Veg Out

Most of the recipes from Lettuce Veg Out include one or more ingredients listed above that could help with cholesterol management. The majority are high in fiber plus there are lots that include soy protein, legumes and nuts (although almond recipes are limited).

Some of my favorites include:

Summary: Cholesterol and a Vegan Diet

High cholesterol is both preventable and manageable through lifestyle changes (after speaking with a doctor). Medication may still be required for some people (always speak with a doctor before making any changes to medications). Lowering intake of trans fats and saturated fats while increasing intake of soluble fiber, soy protein, nuts, plant sterols and legumes is demonstrated in research studies to be effective in lowering cholesterol levels. Vegan diets are commonly high in these health-promoting foods and a transition to focusing on eating these plant-based foods could be helpful for cholesterol management.

Dietary changes are challenging so working with a Registered Dietitian can be extremely helpful in making and sustaining lifestyle changes for long-term health.

Join the Community for Vegan Recipes

References cited:

1. Silverthorn DU, Johnson BR, Ober WC, Garrison CW, Silverthorn AC. Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach. Glenview, IL: Peason Education Inc.; 2013. 612p
2. Dietary lipids and blood cholesterol: Quantitative meta-analysis of metabolic ward studies
3. The toxicity of dietary trans fats
4. Effect of dietary trans fatty acids on high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in healthy subjects
5. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease
6. Direct comparison of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods with a statin in hypercholesterolemic participants
7. 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
8. Portfolio Dietary Pattern and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Controlled Trials
9. Comparison of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and a higher-fat DASH diet on blood pressure and lipids and lipoproteins: a randomized controlled trial
10. The Canadian Cardiovascular Society’s Dyslipidemia Guidelines 2016 Update
11. “The Mediterranean Diet, its Components, and Cardiovascular Disease”
12. Association between plant-based diets and plasma lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis
13. Effects of Vegetarian Diets on Blood Lipids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
14. Non-soy legume consumption lowers cholesterol levels: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Please note that this is a curated list of references for the topics above and is not intended to be comprehensive.

Disclaimer: always speak with a doctor before changing your diet. Please read our full website disclaimer.

10 Plant-Based Foods that Promote Healthier Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is an important part of heart health to be aware of with each meal and snack you choose. Though it sounds like a complicated part of our health, it’s actually a pretty simple one. Cholesterol is produced in the liver, primarily by saturated fats, which is one reason a diet high in saturated fats (from animal-based foods and refined veggie oils) is said to be harmful to your heart health. Cholesterol travels through the blood via the arteries, which is why a high cholesterol diet can lead to clogged arteries that prevent proper blood flow to your heart, leading to heart disease and even diabetes. Your body can use fats from your diet to produce cholesterol on its own, which makes added (dietary) sources of cholesterol something you’ll want to avoid in order to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL). This is one reason why a plant-based diet is now being advised as the best diet to eat for overall heart health and longevity. Plant-based foods also improve liver function, and also provide antioxidants to support the immune system. Most plant-based foods provide a major boost for your cholesterol, but some have specific benefits not to miss out on.

1. Lutein-Rich Spinach

Source: Seasonal Sweet Autumn Salad

Lutein is a yellow-pigmented antioxidant that is found abundantly in spinach, even more than other greens. It’s known to provide protection against macular degeneration for healthy eyes, but research also shows that it helps lower the bad cholesterol by preventing clogged arteries. Though egg yolks are known as the best source of dietary lutein, they’re also high in cholesterol and inflammatory animal-based saturated fats. Instead, use 2 cups of spinach in a smoothie or salad for lutein, 10 grams of protein, and a heart-healthy dose of vitamin E, stress-reducing magnesium, and an abundance of B vitamins also needed for a healthy liver and metabolism.

2. Oats

Source: Matcha Porridge With Pomegranate Seeds

Oats and oat bran (the most fiber-rich part of the grain) are two of the best foods you can include each day to fight high cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease on an ongoing basis. Oats are full of beta-glucan fibers, an important type of soluble fiber that acts like a broom in the arteries (and digestive tract) to sweep out cholesterol and daily toxins. Enjoy 1/3 cup day to get the delicious benefits. If you like and eat barley, it also offers the same benefits as oats.

3. Walnuts

Source: Healthy Fats

Walnuts are a fantastic source of omega 3 fats. These fats lower cholesterol directly by reducing inflammation and raising good cholesterol (HDL). Though seafood is a natural source of omega 3 fats, it’s also very high in cholesterol to most people’s surprise. Walnuts, on the other hand, are not only free of cholesterol, but they also don’t come with the same health risks like mercury and toxin exposure that fish do. Enjoy 4-6 walnuts a day to reap the benefits. They go great on top of oatmeal, on a smoothie, or can be enjoyed as a snack or in an entrée.

4. Beans

Source: Tamale Inspired Bowls With Beans

If you love beans, then good news – they love you too! Beans are the highest fiber food aside from chia, coconut flour, and bran per serving. They help keep our bones strong, and are incredible sources of antioxidants, folate (a B vitamin), potassium, magnesium, protein, and iron. Beans’ fiber has been shown to improve heart health and directly lower high cholesterol in a short amount of time. Legumes (such as lentils and green peas) also come with the same benefits. Try some of our favorite bean recipes from burgers to chili, and everything in between!

5. Avocado

Source: Mexican Black Bean Soup

Okay avocado lovers, rejoice once more – these little babies are awesome for your heart health! They directly lower cholesterol due to a type of fat they have known as beta-sitosterols. These fats reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL), helping to improve your heart health with every bite. They are high in fats, so no need to go overboard; just 1/4 a fruit each day or one or two a week is enough to get the benefits. Out of avocados? Go get yourself one at the store and use the pit to grow your own avocados in just weeks with this product!

6. Most All Nuts and Seeds

Source: Jules/Flickr

Aside from walnuts, most all nuts and seeds are also high in certain fats known as mono-unsaturated fats that lower bad cholesterol. They also provide anti-inflammatory support and contain antioxidants that support overall heart health. As a bonus, these foods are also good sources of plant-based protein and they support collagen production in the body to fight the effects of aging.  A little goes a long way, so enjoy 1/4 cup a day to gain the benefits. Try them in some raw energy bars or toss a few into your next smoothie or breakfast bowl.

7. Natural Soy Foods

Source: Super Protein Kale Caesar Salad

Don’t go running if you hate soy – listen up! We’re not talking about highly processed forms of soy like chalky soy protein powders, we’re talking about cleaner, more whole food forms of soy. Think tempeh, tofu, and whole soy beans (edamame). Non-GMO soy milk and soy yogurt also make good choices if bought from a high-quality organic brand (choose unsweetened if possible). Soy contains higher amounts of isoflavones than most foods, which directly reduce high cholesterol in the body and improve overall heart health. Concerned about soy and cancer? Isoflavones from soy have actually shown to reduce cancer risks, despite the myth that soy causes breast cancer. Enjoy it a couple times a week and see how it works for you.

8. Berries

Source: Strawberry Mousse

Berries are packed with soluble fibers that reduce high cholesterol and assist with good digestion. They’re also a top source of antioxidants that fight immune system invaders to improve your overall health. No berry shows more benefits over another for cholesterol, so include blueberries, strawberries, goji berries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries and others such as acai, golden berries and mulberries for even more benefits.

9. Cacao

Source: Raw Chocolate Energy Bites

What can’t this everyday superfood do? Cocoa and cacao boost arterial health by improving blood flow, reducing blood pressure, and they contain soluble and insoluble fibers that lower cholesterol and improve heart health. Cacao is also a good source of sulfur, a mineral that supports healthy liver function for daily detoxification. Try to enjoy it raw, though regular plain cocoa is also helpful if you don’t have access to raw cacao powder or nibs. Avoid highly sweetened and refined cocoa powders and bars however possible. Try cacao in some of our favorite healthy chocolate recipes!

10. Garlic

Source: Roasted Veggies With Buttery Garlic and Spinach Salad

A food you might think of as more of a flavoring option, is actually one of the best for lowering cholesterol and preventing blood clots. Now, keep in mind, this doesn’t count for garlic powder and garlic flavored foods, but the actual garlic cloves. Use one or two cloves a day in a savory entrée of your choice; just be sure to chop it finely, since the process releases the beneficial compounds found in garlic and makes them more readily available for absorption. You can also grow your own garlic at home so you always have some on hand! Other cholesterol supportive foods include all fruits and vegetables, whole grains of any kind, herbs, spices, and herbal and regular tea. Consume these foods liberally everyday, rotating which ones you buy and use, and you can be sure your heart health will improve as a result!

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A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Background

Vegetarian diets exclude all animal flesh and are being widely adopted by an increasing number of people; however, effects on blood lipid concentrations remain unclear. This meta‐analysis aimed to quantitatively assess the overall effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipids.

Methods and Results

We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library through March 2015. Studies were included if they described the effectiveness of vegetarian diets on blood lipids (total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride). Weighted mean effect sizes were calculated for net changes by using a random‐effects model. We performed subgroup and univariate meta‐regression analyses to explore sources of heterogeneity. Eleven trials were included in the meta‐analysis. Vegetarian diets significantly lowered blood concentrations of total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the pooled estimated changes were −0.36 mmol/L (95% CI −0.55 to −0.17; P<0.001), −0.34 mmol/L (95% CI −0.57 to −0.11; P<0.001), −0.10 mmol/L (95% CI −0.14 to −0.06; P<0.001), and −0.30 mmol/L (95% CI −0.50 to −0.10; P=0.04), respectively. Vegetarian diets did not significantly affect blood triglyceride concentrations, with a pooled estimated mean difference of 0.04 mmol/L (95% CI −0.05 to 0.13; P=0.40).

Conclusions

This systematic review and meta‐analysis provides evidence that vegetarian diets effectively lower blood concentrations of total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Such diets could be a useful nonpharmaceutical means of managing dyslipidemia, especially hypercholesterolemia.

Keywords: cholesterol, diet, lipoprotein lipids, triglyceride, vegetarian

Introduction

Dyslipidemia is a primary risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and coronary artery disease.1, 2 Cardiovascular diseases and associated mortality are strongly related to elevated blood concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), and triglyceride (TG).3, 4 Although lipid‐lowering drugs like statins and fibrates are effective in reducing TC, LDL‐C, and TG concentrations,5, 6, 7 major health organizations have maintained that modification of dietary and lifestyle patterns is the essential approach to prevention and management of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases.8, 9

In recent years, adopting a vegetarian diet has become increasingly popular. Vegetarian diets exclude all animal flesh. Varieties of vegetarianism include vegan, raw vegan, ovovegetarian, lactovegetarian, lacto‐ovovegetarian, and pescovegetarian. Each type of vegetarianism excludes or includes certain foods.10 Compared with an omnivorous diet, a vegetarian diet is rich in fiber, magnesium, Fe³⁺, folic acid, vitamins C and E, omega‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytochemicals, and antioxidants but low in cholesterol; total fat and saturated fatty acids; sodium; Fe²⁺; zinc, vitamins A, B₁₂, and D11; and especially omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. A recent meta‐analysis of 7 clinical trials and 32 observational studies showed that consumption of vegetarian diets was associated with lower blood pressure.12 An earlier meta‐analysis of 7 prospective studies that included 124 706 participants reported 29% lower mortality from ischemic heart disease (relative risk 0.71, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.87), 16% lower mortality from circulatory diseases (relative risk 0.84, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.14), and 12% lower mortality from cerebrovascular disease (relative risk 0.88, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.06) with vegetarian diets.13

Regarding the effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipid concentrations, several cross‐sectional studies showed that vegetarians have significantly lower concentrations of TC, LDL‐C, and TG compared with omnivores.14, 15 Nevertheless, data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipid concentrations have generated mixed findings, especially regarding high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and TG. Some trials16, 17 have indicated that vegetarian diets could lower HDL‐C and increase TG concentrations compared with omnivorous diets; however, no such effects were observed in other trials.18, 19 To the best of our knowledge, these results have not been systematically evaluated; therefore, we conducted a meta‐analysis of the published RCTs to comprehensively assess the overall effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipids (TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, and TG). The aim of the present study was to ascertain the extent to which a vegetarian diet alters blood lipids.

Methods

This systematic review and meta‐analysis followed the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA) statement.20

Literature Search

Relevant articles were identified by searching PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library databases from their starting dates through March 2015. The structured search strategies used the following format of keywords: (vegetarian diet OR vegan diet OR vegetarianism OR vegetarian) AND (blood lipids OR total cholesterol OR low density lipoprotein cholesterol OR high density lipoprotein cholesterol OR cholesterol OR triglyceride OR triacylglycerol). Reference lists of original studies or reviews were also checked for additional publications. Because the present study is a systematic review and meta‐analysis, institutional review board approval was not required for this project.

Eligibility Criteria

Studies that met the PICOS criteria (participants, interventions, comparators, outcomes, study design) were included. “Participants” were studies conducted in adult humans aged ≥18 years. Interventions comprised a vegetarian diet (intervention diet) including vegan, omitting all animal products; ovovegetarian, omitting all animal products but eggs; lactovegetarian, omitting all animal products but dairy products; or lacto‐ovovegetarian, omitting all animal products but including eggs and dairy products. Comparators comprised an omnivorous diet (control diet) containing meats and dairy products and plant‐derived foods. Outcomes were baseline and end point values for blood lipids (TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, or TG) or their difference and the SD or SEM or 95% CI of each group. Study design comprised RCTs of either parallel or crossover design.

Study Selection

The title and abstract of each study identified in the search was screened to determine the study’s eligibility for full review. The full‐text report was retrieved if the study investigated or potentially investigated the effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipid concentrations. Studies that compared vegan and ovo‐, lacto‐, or lacto‐ovovegetarian diets and studies that were cross‐sectional, cohort, case–control, animal test, nonoriginal research (reviews, editorials, or commentaries), unpublished, or duplicated were excluded. Only human studies published in English were included.

Data Extraction and Risk‐of‐Bias Assessment

Data extraction was conducted independently by 2 researchers, and any discrepancies were resolved by discussion. Study characteristics were extracted including author, publication year, country, study design, sample size, population information (sex, age, body mass index [BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in square meters], health status, and lipid‐lowering medication use), dietary data (type of diet and duration of consumption), and outcome analysis. In each trial, the mean and SD of blood lipid concentrations at baseline and end point in both intervention and control groups were extracted. For studies that had multiple time points for the same participants, only the last end point was used for analysis. In crossover studies, it was recommended to extract paired t test data that evaluated the value of “measurement on intervention” minus “measurement on control” separately for each participant21; however, because these data were rarely provided, we resorted to using mean and SD separately for intervention and control. This step provided a conservative estimate of effect and reduced the power of crossover studies to show real effects of intervention.22 If SDs were not reported directly, we calculated them from SEM or 95% CI. Change‐from‐baseline SD was also estimated using the equation listed in the Cochrane Handbook.21 Extracted data were converted to international units. For TC, LDL‐C, and HDL‐C, 1 mg/dL was converted to 0.0259 mmol/L; for TG, 1 mg/dL was converted to 0.0113 mmol/L.

Risk of bias across studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool,21 which rates 7 domains (random sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding of participants and personnel, blinding of outcome assessment, incomplete outcome data, selective reporting and other threats to validity [eg, contamination of intervention and carryover effect in crossover trials]) as having low, high, or unclear risk of bias.

Data Synthesis and Statistical Analysis

A random‐effects model described by DerSimonian and Laird was used because it takes into account both within‐ and between‐study variability.23 Heterogeneity between studies was assessed by the Cochrane Q test and I² statistic. An I² value of 25%, 50%, and 75% represented low, moderate, and high degrees of heterogeneity, respectively. To explore sources of heterogeneity, subgroup and univariate meta–regression analyses were carried out focused on population information: continent (Oceania, Europe, or North America), age (<50 or ≥50 years), BMI (18.5 to 25, 25 to 30, or ≥30), health status (healthy or with high cardiovascular disease risk and lipid‐lowering medication use [some or none]), intervention type (lactovegetarian, lacto‐ovovegetarian, or vegan) and duration (<3 or ≥3 months), study design (parallel or crossover), outcome analysis (per protocol or intention to treat), and publication year (before 2000 or 2000 or later). To determine whether any single trial exerted undue influence on the overall results, sensitivity analysis was conducted in which each study was removed and the effect size recalculated. Furthermore, publication bias was assessed using Begg’s rank correlation test and Egger’s linear regression test. All statistical analyses were performed using Stata/SE 12.0 for windows (StataCorp). Except as otherwise specified, P<0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Results of the Study Selection

Detailed processes of study selection are shown in Figure . Our search strategy retrieved 2944 unique citations: 558 from PubMed, 811 from Scopus, 717 from Embase, 783 from ISI Web of Knowledge, 73 from the Cochrane Library, and 2 from hand searching the reference lists. Of these, 2891 citations were excluded after screening titles and abstracts, leaving 53 articles for full‐text review. After reviewing full text, 42 articles were excluded because they did not meet the study inclusion criteria (eg, studies without randomization, studies with nonrelated outcomes, articles from the same study, reviews, replies to comments). Ultimately, 11 studies were included in quantitative synthesis.16, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Flow diagram of selection of relevant articles.

Study Characteristics

Characteristics of the 11 selected studies are shown in Tables  and . Six studies were conducted in North America (all in the United States16, 17, 19, 24, 27, 28), 4 were conducted in Europe (2 in Finland18, 26 and 1 each in Sweden29 and the Czech Republic30), and 1 was conducted in Oceania (Australia25). The sample sizes ranged from 11 to 291, with a total of 832 participants. One study involved men only,25 1 study involved women only,16 and the other 9 studies included both men and women. Mean BMI of participants varied from 24.0 to 35.0, and mean age at baseline ranged from 28.0 to 56.2 years. Five trials were performed in participants with higher cardiovascular risk factors such as overweight17, 28 or type 2 diabetes.19, 27, 30 Several participants in 3 studies used lipid‐lowering medication.19, 27, 30 Among these 11 studies, 7 included a vegan diet,16, 17, 18, 19, 26, 27, 29 2 included a lacto‐ovovegetarian diet,25, 28 and 2 included a lactovegetarian diet.24, 30 The average duration of intervention was 24 weeks (ranging from 3 weeks to 18 months). Five trials lasted >3 months,17, 18, 19, 28, 29 whereas 2 trials lasted <1 month,24, 26 and the remaining trials fell in between. Seven studies adopted per‐protocol analysis,16, 18, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29 and 4 used intention‐to‐treat analysis.17, 19, 28, 30 Eight trials used a parallel design,17, 18, 19, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and the other 3 trials used a crossover design.16, 24, 25

Table 1

Characteristics of Studies Included in the Meta‐Analysis: Participants, Interventions, and Comparators

Table 2

Characteristics of Studies Included in the Meta‐Analysis: Outcomes and Study Design

Risk of Bias

All studies stated that participants were randomly assigned, but only 5 studies specified the randomization process, such as using a computer‐generated random number list,16 a random number table,17, 19 or a minimization procedure.28, 29 None of the 11 studies mentioned allocation concealment, and none of the participants in any of the trials were blinded. Blinding of outcome assessment was not mentioned in any of the studies. Only 4 studies were analyzed on an intention‐to‐treat basis.17, 19, 28, 30 In 3 studies, not all of the concentrations listed in the methods were reported.24, 27, 28 Carryover effect in the 3 crossover trials may introduce bias, although this was not mentioned16, 24, 25 (Table S1).

Effects of Vegetarian Diets on Blood Lipid Concentrations

A total of 10 studies reported data on TC concentrations. Vegetarian diets significantly affect TC concentrations, and the pooled estimated change in TC concentrations was −0.36 mmol/L (95% CI −0.55 to −0.17; P<0.001) (Figure ). Moderate to high heterogeneity was detected (I²=53.5%). Seven studies reported data on LDL‐C concentrations. Vegetarian diets caused significant reduction in LDL‐C concentrations, and the pooled estimated effect was −0.34 mmol/L (95% CI −0.57 to −0.11; P<0.001) (Figure ). High heterogeneity was found (I²=72.4%). Nine studies reported results on HDL‐C concentrations. Vegetarian diets also lowered HDL‐C concentrations, and the pooled estimated mean difference was −0.10 mmol/L (95% CI −0.14 to −0.06; P<0.001) (Figure ). No heterogeneity was shown for HDL‐C (I²=0%). The mean change in TG concentrations was calculated in 11 trials. Vegetarian diets did not cause a significant change in TG concentration, and the pooled estimated effect was 0.04 mmol/L (95% CI −0.05 to 0.13; P=0.40) (Figure ). Low heterogeneity was observed (I²=19.9%). Because non–HDL‐C (the difference between TC and HDL‐C) was also an important target for cardiovascular disease risk set by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society in 2012,31 it was calculated from 8 studies, and a meta‐analysis of the effect of vegetarian diets was performed. Vegetarian diets significantly decreased non–HDL‐C concentrations by −0.30 mmol/L (95% CI −0.50 to −0.10; P=0.04) (Figure ). Moderate to high heterogeneity was found (I²=54.8%).

Effects of vegetarian diets on (A) TC and (B) LDL‐C concentrations. The meta‐analysis used the WMD in the random‐effects model. Horizontal lines denote 95% CI. A diamond represents the overall estimated effect. LDL‐C indicates low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol; TC, total cholesterol; WMD, weighted mean difference.

Effects of vegetarian diets on (A) HDL‐C and (B) TG concentrations. The meta‐analysis used the WMD in the random‐effects model. Horizontal lines denote 95% CI. A diamond represents the overall estimated effect. HDL‐C indicates high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; WMD, weighted mean difference.

Effects of vegetarian diets on non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. The meta‐analysis used the WMD in the random‐effects model. Horizontal lines denote 95% CI. A diamond represents the overall estimated effect. WMD, weighted mean difference.

Subgroup and Meta–Regression Analyses

Subgroup analyses showed that the effect of vegetarian diets on lowering TC concentrations was greater in participants with BMI ranging from 18.5 to 25 (−0.94 mmol/L, 95% CI −1.33 to −0.55) and from 25 to 30 (−0.58 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.89 to −0.27) rather than those >30 (−0.16 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.30, −0.01) (Table ). A greater lowering effect on TC concentrations was observed in trials analyzed on a per‐protocol basis (−0.64 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.85 to −0.43) compared with an intention‐to‐treat basis (−0.16 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.30 to −0.01) (Table ). Similarly, a greater reduction in LDL‐C concentrations was observed in trials conducted in participants with BMI ranging from 18.5 to 25 and from 25 to 30 or analyzed on a per‐protocol basis (Table ). Meta‐regressions for BMI (meta‐regression P=0.01 in TC analysis and P=0.02 in LDL‐C analysis) and outcome analysis (meta‐regression P=0.01 in TC analysis and P=0.02 in LDL‐C analysis) were significant, suggesting that these 2 factors may be substantial sources of heterogeneity present in TC and LDL‐C analyses.

Table 3

Subgroup and Meta‐Regression Analyses for TC and LDL‐C Concentrations

Subgroup and meta–regression analyses did not show any statistically significant differences in the effect of vegetarian diets on HDL‐C and TG concentrations between subgroups stratified by population information (continent, age, BMI, health status, and lipid‐lowering medication use), intervention information (type and duration), study design, outcome analysis, and publication year (Table ). For non–HDL‐C, subgroup and meta–regression analyses indicated that reduction was greater in trials conducted in participants with lower BMI or analyzed on a per‐protocol analysis, which could partly explain the heterogeneity, as for TC and LDL‐C (Table ).

Table 4

Subgroup and Meta–Regression Analyses for HDL‐C and TG Concentrations

Table 5

Subgroup and Meta–Regression Analyses for Non–HDL‐C Concentrations

Sensitivity Analysis and Publication Bias

Sensitivity analysis showed that the pooled estimate of the effects of vegetarian diets on TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, TG, and non–HDL‐C concentrations did not vary substantially with the exclusion of any 1 study (Figures S1 through S5). Results from Begg’s rank correlation test and Egger’s linear regression test suggested that no obvious publication bias was detected in the meta‐analysis of TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, TG, or non–HDL‐C (Table ).

Table 6

Results of Publication Bias Test

Discussion

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipid concentrations. This meta‐analysis of 11 RCTs suggests that vegetarian diets had a significant lowering effect on the concentrations of blood TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, and non–HDL‐C; however, no remarkable effect was detected on TG concentrations.

Although a large number of cross‐sectional studies14, 15 have shown that concentrations of TC, LDL‐C, and TG were much lower in vegetarians than in omnivores, a few studies32, 33 have found no such relationships with HDL‐C and TG concentrations. A meta‐analysis of 12 observational studies with a total of 4177 participants revealed no evidence showing that HDL‐C concentrations differed in vegetarians and omnivores.34 Another meta‐analysis of 12 observational studies with 1300 participants indicated that vegetarian diets were effective in lowering TG concentrations.35 Although this phenomenon was obvious in developing countries, it was nonsignificant in developed countries. Likewise, results from RCTs in humans were not necessarily consistent, particularly those results on HDL‐C and TG. Our meta‐analysis was performed based on this inconsistent evidence to assess the overall effect of vegetarian diets on blood lipid concentrations.

Subgroup and meta–regression analyses indicated that the lowering effects of vegetarian diets on TC, LDL‐C, and non–HDL‐C concentrations were less evident in obese participants (BMI ≥30). Obesity is associated with an increased rate of cholesterol synthesis.36 Leptin, a hormone secreted by adipocytes, could promote hepatic cholesterol clearance37; however, most obese subjects always experience leptin resistance, and its effects might be diminished or lacking in the obese state.38 Consequently, the lowering effect of vegetarian diets on TC, LDL‐C, and non–HDL‐C concentrations could be attenuated in obese participants. Subgroup and meta‐regression analyses also showed that reduction in TC, LDL‐C, and non–HDL‐C concentrations was greater in trials that adopted per‐protocol analysis compared with those that adopted intention‐to‐treat analysis. This result is consistent with the idea that, on average, per‐protocol analysis tends to provide higher estimates of effect than the intention‐to‐treat analysis.39 A per‐protocol analysis is performed in which participants are included only if they received the intended intervention in line with the protocol, whereas an intention‐to‐treat analysis includes all randomized participants.21 Losses do not retain the intervention effect, and missing data in trials will lead to systematic differences between the approaches.39

Studies have shown that a 1‐mmol/L reduction in TC and LDL‐C levels results in a 26.6% to 29.5% decrease for any cardiovascular disease–related event.40 The average reductions of TC and LDL‐C concentrations following a vegetarian diet intervention included in this meta‐analysis were 0.36 and 0.34 mmol/L, respectively, which would correspond to a decrease in cardiovascular disease risk of about 9.0% to 10.6%. Vegetarian diets may reduce blood cholesterol concentrations through several mechanisms. Vegetarian diets are low in cholesterol, total fat, and saturated fatty acids,11 leading to less absorption and conversion to blood cholesterol.41 Moreover, vegetarian diets provide a high intake of dietary fiber and many health‐promoting phytochemicals including phytosterols, phenolics, carotenoids, flavonoids, indoles, saponins, and sulfides, derived primarily from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and various soy products.42 These phytochemicals can exert substantial influence on cholesterol levels via multiple mechanisms. Phytosterols reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption by competing with cholesterol for a place in the mixed micelles.43 Phenolics inhibit the oxidation of LDL‐C, improving cardiovascular health.44 Flavonoids and saponins disrupt the cholesterol micelle solubility, leading to potential reduction in cholesterol absorption.45 Sulfides or organosulfur compounds decrease blood lipids, especially TC and non–HDL‐C, like LDL‐C, by inhibiting the biosynthesis of cholesterol.46

Like other cholesterol subfractions (eg, non–HDL‐C), blood HDL‐C concentrations were also decreased after the vegetarian diet intervention. A reduction in the apolipoprotein A‐I production rate appears to explain the decrease in HDL‐C concentrations.47 HDL‐C is inversely associated with risk of coronary heart disease.48 Despite lowering of HDL‐C in observational studies or RCTs, vegetarian diets are not associated with poor cardiovascular health.49 As for TG, the pooled estimated change in TG concentrations was not significant. Considering that all studies were conducted in developed countries, this result was consistent with a previous meta‐analysis.35 The mechanisms for the effect of vegetarian diets on TG still need to be studied.

This study has several strengths. First, as far as we are aware, this is the first meta‐analysis of RCTs to examine the effects of vegetarian diets on blood lipid concentrations. Second, the considerably large number of pooled participants provided sufficient statistical power to detect the treatment effects. In addition, results from both random‐ and fixed‐effects models were similar (Tables , through ), indicating that our findings were stable. Third, to avoid double counting of participants, if a study had multiple time points for the same participants, only the last end point was used for calculation of the pooled effect. Finally, the results were unlikely to be affected by publication bias. Both Begg’s rank correlation test and Egger’s linear regression test suggested no significant asymmetry for the overall effects estimation of TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, TG, and non–HDL‐C.

Although the present meta‐analysis may provide some useful information, several potential limitations of this meta‐analysis should be considered. First, dietary intervention studies typically cannot be double blinded.2 Lack of blinding could cause bias by affecting the actual outcomes of the participants in the trial.21 Although objective outcomes like blood lipid concentrations may not be influenced, subjective behaviors of participants across different groups (eg, dropout rate) could be affected. Second, moderate to high heterogeneity was present for the TC, LDL‐C, and non–HDL‐C analyses and was only partly explained by subgroup and meta–regression analyses. Although moderate to high heterogeneity still remained in some subgroups, the pooled weighted mean effect sizes showed consistent lowering effects of vegetarian diets on TC, LDL‐C, and non–HDL‐C concentrations. Third, this meta‐analysis suggested vegetarian diets could reduce blood TC, LDL‐C, and HDL‐C concentrations. Only a few studies provided data on the effect of vegetarian diets on the ratio of TC (or LDL‐C) to HDL‐C. Given that reductions of TC (or LDL‐C) and HDL‐C have different impacts on CVD risk, it was difficult to ascertain which impact was larger. Nevertheless, vegetarian diets have not been found to be associated with poor cardiovascular health.49 Fourth, greater weight reduction in the vegetarian groups was found compared with omnivorous groups (−2.88 kg, 95% CI −3.56 to −2.20, P<0.001) (Figure ). Weight reduction was significantly associated with decrease of TC and LDL‐C50; therefore, some of the effect of the change in TC and LDL‐C in this meta‐analysis could be a consequence of weight loss. Fifth, our analysis covers a long time span of 30 years, with the oldest study performed in 1982 and the latest trial conducted in 2013. The time of study may be an important confounder because lifestyles changed and medical sciences advanced considerably; however, no significant difference was found between studies published before 2000 and those published in and after 2000 in subgroup and univariate meta–regression analyses. Finally, studies that examined the effects of vegetarian diets on serum lipid concentrations and on plasma lipid concentrations were both included in this meta‐analysis to guarantee a considerable number of participants. The commonly recommended anticoagulant for plasma is disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate. Its use may produce a shift of water from red blood cells to plasma and thus dilutes the plasma and lowers the concentration of lipids.51 Comparing final values may introduced bias due to the difference between plasma lipids and serum lipids. This meta‐analysis was analyzed based on changes from baseline to minimize this bias.

Effects of vegetarian diets on weight loss. The meta‐analysis used the WMD in the random‐effects model. Horizontal lines denote 95% CI. A diamond represents the overall estimated effect. WMD, weighted mean difference.

In conclusion, vegetarian diets could effectively lower blood concentrations of TC, LDL‐C, HDL‐C, and non–HDL‐C. These findings have important public health implications with regard to the management of dyslipidemia, especially hypercholesterolemia, via dietary intervention. Further well‐designed RCTs that are designed to evaluate the effects of specific vegetarian diets on blood lipids are required, and additional studies with detailed population information should be performed to clarify the possible mechanism.

How Do Vegans Get Cholesterol?

How do vegans get cholesterol? Whether diet or genetics, here’s all you need to know about cholesterol on a plant-based diet.

According to MedlinePlus, an online service launched by the U.S. United States National Library of Medicine, cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance present in all of the body’s cells. It’s needed in order to make steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids, which aid in the digestion of dietary fats and oils. The human body is capable of making all of the cholesterol it needs, but it is also present in animal-based foods, including meat, cheese, and eggs.

What Is Cholesterol?

There are three different types of cholesterol. HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is known as “good” cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol throughout your body to your liver, which then “recycles” it in bile form into the digestive tract. About 50 percent of this is absorbed back into the body via the small intestine.

LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is what’s known as “bad” cholesterol. High levels of LDL has been linked to the buildup of plaque in arteries as well as other health issues.

VLDL, or very low-density lipoprotein, is also considered a “bad” cholesterol, but while LDL carries cholesterol, VLDL carries triglycerides. Triglycerides are the most common type of fat found in the human body. When you eat too many calories for your body, VLDL cholesterol particles carry triglycerides to your tissues, where it is stored in body fat. Your body then releases triglycerides when energy is needed.

Where Does ‘Bad’ Cholesterol Come From?

According to Dr. Michael Greger, founder of NutritionFacts.org, LDL cholesterol is found in trans fats, which is found in processed foods and naturally in meat and dairy. The Mayo Clinic notes that this trans fats are “double trouble” for heart health due to the fact that it raises LDL levels while lowering “good” HDL levels.

Trans fat is added to processed foods through an industrial process where hydrogen is added to vegetable oil, which allows the oil to be solid at room temperature. On ingredients labels, it’s called “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” and it is used to give many packaged foods a longer shelf life. It is also used for deep-frying by some restaurants because partially hydrogenated oil does not need to be changed as often.

Foods that typically contain trans fats include commercial baked goods, snacks like chips and crackers, refrigerated dough such as cinnamon rolls and pizza crusts, fried foods, and margarine. Cheese, butter, and processed meat like bacon, breakfast sausages, ham, and hot dogs are also high in “bad” cholesterol.

What Is the Ideal Cholesterol Ratio?

Measuring your cholesterol levels is considered an effective way of determining your risk of heart disease and stroke. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), all adults over the age of 20 should have their cholesterol checked every four to six years.

When it comes to measuring your cholesterol, there are two things to keeIsp in mind. The first is your total cholesterol level, which is measured by a health professional via a blood test. This number is calculated from your HDL, LDL, and 20 percent of your triglycerides. Typically, you want this number to be below 200.

However, many health professionals stand by measuring your cholesterol ratio. According to the AHA, this is obtained by dividing the HDL cholesterol level into your total cholesterol.“For example, if a person has a total cholesterol of 200 and an HDL cholesterol level of 50, the ratio would be 4:1,” the organization writes.

The ideal level of cholesterol varies from person to person and can also be determined by genetics. The Framingham Heart Study says that a cholesterol ratio of five indicates an average heart attack risk for men and the risk doubles if the ratio reaches 9.6.

Women, meanwhile, are more likely to have higher levels of good cholesterol. A ratio of 4.4 is average heart attack risk for women and it doubles if that number reaches seven.

What Are the Health Risks of High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol comes with a number of health risks. If you have too much in your blood, cholesterol can combine with other substances such as calcium and fat to form plaque, which sticks to the walls of your arteries. This can lead to a condition known as atherosclerosis, a disease marked by the hardening or narrowing of arteries. If left untreated, atherosclerosis can lead to coronary artery disease, carotid artery disease, peripheral artery disease, heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, or premature death.

What Raises the Risk of High Cholesterol?

Beyond diet, there are a number of lifestyle factors that can contribute to high cholesterol levels. Smoking is known to lower good cholesterol levels and also damages your arteries and blood vessels, raisin the risk of plaque buildup. Those who are more sedentary may also have a greater risk of having high cholesterol.

Your risk can also be affected by your family history. Those with a family history of heart disease may need to take extra care in monitoring their cholesterol ratio because arteries harden with plaque buildup, meaning the body needs to work harder to pump blood. Diabetics may also have a greater risk, as their LDL particles tend to stick to arteries. Glucose also attaches to lippoproteins, which remains in the bloodstream longer and may lead to the formation of plaque.

Saturated Fat and Cholesterol

Eating foods that are high in saturated fat can also raise your “bad” cholesterol levels, thus raising your heart attack risk.

The American Heart Association states that foods high in saturated fat include meat like beef, lamb, poultry, and pork. Dairy products include butter, cream, and cheese made from 2 percent or whole milk. Some plant-based foods include saturated fat: coconut, coconut oil and cocoa butter, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.

A recent study published in the Journal of Internal Cardiology revealed that eating less meat and more plant-based foods lowers your risk of heart attack.

“We found that eating relatively little of the longer chained saturated fatty acids and consuming plant-based proteins instead was associated with a lowered risk. Substitution of those saturated fats with other energy sources such as carbohydrates did not affect the risk to develop myocardial infarction,” said study lead investigator, Dr. Ivonne Sluijs of Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

Do Vegans Need to Worry About Cholesterol?

Those who follow a plant-based diet are known to have lower cholesterol levels compared to those who consume animal products. According to Livestrong, for a food item to contain dietary cholesterol, it must come from an animal-based source. Cholesterol is still important to certain bodily functions, but your body is typically able to produce everything it needs.

If you are looking to lower your cholesterol, consult with your doctor about introducing more plant-based meals into your diet.

Which Foods Lower Bad Cholesterol?

If you have high cholesterol, there are a number of plant-based foods that can help lower your levels, according to Harvard Health.

1. Oats, Barley, and Other Whole Grains

Oats, or whole grain, oat-based cereal like One Degree Organics Sprouted Oat O’s or Cascadian Farms Purely O’s, which is made from oats and barley, can help get your cholesterol levels where they’re supposed to be. Try having steelcut or overnight oatmeal for breakfast or use rolled oats to make vegan pancakes and healthy baked treats like plant-based muffins or oatmeal breakfast cookies.

You can also incorporate more whole grains into your diet by swapping enriched pasta and bread for whole wheat, like Bionature Whole Wheat Spaghetti or Dave’s Killer Bread.

2. Beans and Legumes

Beans of all kinds are rich in soluble fiber, meaning they take the body longer to digest and help you feel fuller, longer. Harvard Health recommends eating a wide variety of beans, including chickpeas, lentils, black-eyed peas, navy beans, and kidney beans. Try whipping up a delicious chickpea curry for your weeknight meal, or make a vegan lentil loaf.

If you don’t like beans or lentils, try using legume-based pasta from brands like Banza Chickpea Pasta Shells or Explore Organics Edamame and Mung Bean Fettuccini.

Soybean and soy-derived foods like tofu, tempeh, and Silk Organic Soymilk are also effective in lowering cholesterol.

3. Nuts

Eating two ounces of nuts daily, including walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and other varieties can lower your LDL cholesterol by as much as 5 percent. They’re also packed with other heart-healthy nutrients. You can eat nuts whole, or try a nut-based milk like walnut milk, peanut milk, or good old-fashioned almond milk.

4. Vegetables and Vegetable Oil

Healthline recommends incorporating soluble fiber-rich vegetables like eggplant, okra, carrots, and potatoes into your diet to help lower cholesterol. This also includes dark, leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and collard greens.

According to Harvard Health, swapping dairy butter for liquid vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, and safflower can help lower LDL.

5. Fruit

Pectin-rich fruit such as apples, grapes, citrus fruit, and strawberries can help lower LDL. Avocados are a rich source of monounsaturated fats and fiber, both of which two help your body lower “bad” LDL and raise “good” HDL cholesterol (5).

According to Dr. Greger, eating dried apple rings can also lower bad cholesterol levels, while dates despite their high sugar content, can lower your triglycerides.

6. Dark Chocolate

It might sound too good to be true, but studies have shown that dark chocolate can help lower bad cholesterol, too. In one study involving adults who drank a cocoa beverage twice daily for a month, participants experienced lower LDL levels and increased HDL. When choosing dark chocolate, look for a fair trade brand that contains at least 75-85 percent cocoa.

How to Get Good Cholesterol on a Plant-Based Diet

Many of the foods that lower LDL will promote the production of HDL cholesterol. This includes avocado, soy-based foods, vegetable oil, whole grains, fruit, beans, and legumes. Healthline advises incorporating a few other foods into your diet in order to raise HDL levels.

1. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts such as almonds, pistachios, peanuts, and Brazil nuts contain a substance called plant sterols, which block the absorption of LDL cholesterol and promote HDL. Seeds like chia and flax are both rich sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids – but nutritionists recommend grinding both in order to make all of the nutrients bioavailable.

Mix ground flax or chia into oatmeal or smoothies, make a chia pudding, or use it to replace chicken eggs in traditional baking.

2. Use Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and Coconut Oil

Swap other oils for extra-virgin olive oil and coconut oil to promote HDL cholesterol levels. Studies have attributed the presence of antioxidants known as polyphenols in olive oil to healthy cholesterol. Meanwhile, evidence shows that coconut oil tends to raise HDL levels more than other types of fat. Use these instead of dairy butter or other oils in cooking or baking.

3. Purple Fruits and Veggies

Opt for antioxidant-rich purple produce like eggplant, purple corn, red cabbage, blueberries, blackberries and black raspberries. They’re rich in an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which has been shown to increase good cholesterol.

4. Red Wine

Like dark chocolate, it might sound too good to be true, but drinking a moderate amount of red wine daily (that’s one glass for women and two for men) has been shown to improve good cholesterol levels. Be sure to check your red wine on a site like Barnivore to ensure that it’s free from any hidden animal ingredients.

5. Exercise Regularly and Stop Smoking

If you’re a smoker, studies have shown that smoking can inhibit the production of HDL cholesterol. In one study of more than 1,500 people, those who quit smoking experienced twice the increase in HDL as those who resumed smoking within the year.

Being physically active is another way to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, particularly for strength training, aerobics, and high-intensity exercise such as HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and HICT (high-intensity circuit training). However, even low-intensity exercise has been shown to increase HDL’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities.

6. Plan Your Meals

One of the best ways to ensure that you’re avoiding certain foods while making sure to get enough of the heart-healthy foods you need is to plan your meals. Planning your meals has been shown to have a multitude of benefits from losing weight, helping you stick to a healthier diet, saving money, and reducing food waste. Not only can you ensure that you”re eating what you should, meal planning can also keep you from caving in and buying things you’re trying to avoid, like last-minute fast-food dinners.

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90,000 Cholesterol-lowering diets

Cholesterol is an essential building block for cells, and the body produces as much of it as needed. If too much of the “bad” cholesterol, LDL, is produced, it can lead to plaque build up in the arteries and lead to coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, or stroke.

Ideal LDL blood levels are 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL) or less. If a person’s LDL is higher, then a cholesterol-lowering diet should be considered.This is especially important for people who are at high risk for heart disease due to obesity, diabetes, lifestyle, or hereditary factors.

Photo: Flickr / Jeremy Keith

Basic Principles of Cholesterol-Lowering Diets

There are many diets available that lower LDL levels. However, effective diets should have the following elements:

Reduce consumption of saturated and trans fats;

Replace foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat with unsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains;

Maintain serving size to ensure daily calorie intake.

Cholesterol-lowering diets

The following diets are recommended by doctors to lower cholesterol: the vegan diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the National Institutes of Health diet.

Vegan Diet

The vegetarian diet prohibits the consumption of animal products, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Only animal products contain cholesterol. For this reason, veganism is the only cholesterol-free diet.

By replacing animal products with herbal products, people avoid factors that increase LDL cholesterol. However, reducing your intake of cholesterol and saturated fat isn’t the only way to lower your LDL cholesterol levels. To make this diet particularly effective, it is important to consume nutrients that actively remove LDL from the body.

The most important of these nutrients are:

Polyunsaturated fat . They force the liver to flush out LDL cholesterol.They can be found in natural vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, and safflower.

Soluble fiber . They bind to cholesterol and fats and remove them from the body before they are absorbed into the blood. Soluble fiber is found in oat grains, whole grains, barley, legumes, chia seeds, and eggplant. Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are also rich in a peculiar soluble fiber called pectin.

Stanols and Sterols .They also block the intake of blood cholesterol and can be extracted from certain plants. Eating 5 to 10 grams of soluble protein per day can lower LDL cholesterol by 5%. For several weeks, a daily intake of about 2 g of either stanols or sterols can lower cholesterol levels by about 5-15%.

But even a vegan diet enriched with these substances can have disadvantages. Removing animal products increases your risk of vitamin D, vitamin B12, and zinc deficiencies.

Avoiding fish, eggs and algae also robs the body of omega-3s that are especially beneficial for heart health. To reduce these risks, it is recommended that people on a vegan diet include in their diets:

Foods fortified with vitamin B12 , such as soy and rice drinks and nutritional yeast;

Foods fortified with vitamin D , especially during the winter months;

Plant foods rich in omega-3 such as flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, soy foods and hemp-based drinks;

Zinc-rich foods such as whole grains, legumes, soy foods.

Mediterranean Diet

If avoiding animal products is too difficult, follow a Mediterranean diet, which may be the best option. While the Mediterranean diet does not allow for a lot of red meat, dairy, poultry, and fish are acceptable in low to moderate amounts.

Although there are many different versions of the Mediterranean diet, they contain the same essential nutrients:

Olive oil instead of saturated fat;

Large volume of fruits and vegetables;

High fiber starches such as potatoes, beans, bread and whole grain cereals;

Nuts and seeds;

Fish and poultry;

Eggs up to four times a week;

Wine in small quantities.

Since vegetarian diets do not contain omega-3s, a Mediterranean diet may be more beneficial. However, the Mediterranean diet also has its drawbacks. The biggest problem is calorie intake. While unsaturated fats and natural starches are not unhealthy, they are high in calories. If the person does not think about the portion size, then it is possible to increase the weight from the Mediterranean diet.

Nutritionists advise that more than half of the fatty calories in the Mediterranean diet come from monounsaturated fats such as olive oil.

Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) Diet

This diet was created by the National Institutes of Health in 2005.

Together with dietary adjustments, it changes lifestyle in order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease as much as possible. This diet is less restrictive than the vegetarian diet and follows a much stricter scientific structure.

According to the diet, a person should consume each day:

Less than 7% of calories are saturated fat;

Less than 200 mg cholesterol;

2 g daily plant stanols or sterols;

10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber per day;

For women, 1000 to 1200 daily calories are generally recommended for weight loss.For men, 1200 – 1600 calories are recommended.

This diet is not only designed to lower LDL cholesterol levels, but also to keep nutrient intake balanced.

Regardless of which diet a person chooses, making healthy nutritional changes can do more than just lower cholesterol levels. Reducing saturated fat and increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fiber can improve vision, as well as promote brain, muscle, bone, and digestive health.

Literature

1. Craig W. J. Health effects of vegan diets // The American journal of clinical nutrition. – 2009. – T. 89. – No. 5. – S. 1627S-1633S.
2. Jakobsen M. U. et al. Major types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: a pooled analysis of 11 cohort studies // The American journal of clinical nutrition. – 2009. – T. 89. – No. 5. – S. 1425-1432.

Before using the tips and advice on the website “Medical Insider” , , be sure to consult your doctor!

Increased cholesterol in vegetarians and vegans

I’m interested in following what different nutritionists are saying now and I occasionally see posts like “new studies have shown that vegetarians have the highest cholesterol levels”.Very often in Russian-language resources, vegetarianism is equated with veganism, and in the end, statements become confusing, even if in essence they are true. It makes sense that most vegetarians on earth have high cholesterol levels. And that’s why.

There are now about 1 billion vegetarians on the planet (of which about 78 million are vegans). Most vegetarians live in India and the use of Ghee is known to be very popular in Indian cuisine. Ghee oil has a cholesterol content of about 220-250 mg per 100 g, which is quite a lot.Other vegetarian foods are high in cholesterol too. In chicken eggs 570 mg, in caviar about 300 mg … The most cholesterol product (egg powder, which is used in mayonnaise – 2050 mg) is also a vegetarian product! There is no cholesterol in any plant product at all, since it is synthesized directly in the body of animals and humans.

Why do you need cholesterol?

Cholesterol is necessary for the formation of cell membranes and is involved in the production of vitamin D, bile acids and steroid hormones (testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, etc.).etc.). With normal metabolism, the human body itself synthesizes the required amount of cholesterol. The fats we consume are involved in this process, and therefore, even on a vegan diet, you can manage to earn yourself an excess of cholesterol, forcing your body to produce more cholesterol than it needs. The worst option is probably overeating margarine and palm oil. Clinically, a 1% increase in saturated fat leads to a 2% increase in blood cholesterol.But besides foods high in saturated fat, there are other factors: smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, genetics, and fast carbs (refined sugars, starches, white flour). The body can convert fast carbohydrates into triglycerides (again, fat), hence the link.

Learn more about “bad” and “good” cholesterol

Just imagine. Cholesterol is synthesized little by little in all cells in the body, but mainly in the liver. Since it is a waxy, water-insoluble substance, it cannot move independently through the blood.The liver packs it into a “transport” collected from a combination of protein and fat (Lipoproteins). The higher the percentage of fat in this structure, the lower its density. Very low density lipoproteins carry cholesterol through the bloodstream, gradually “unloading” fat (using cholesterol as intended) and becoming denser (low density lipoproteins – LDL – a.k.a. “bad” cholesterol). LDL can stick to the walls of blood vessels and lead to blockages.

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are also produced in the liver and carry cholesterol through the bloodstream.They are called “good cholesterol”. HDL collects adhered, spent bad cholesterol from the walls of blood vessels and returns it to the liver, where the lipid-protein “transport” is either loaded with new cholesterol and sent back into the bloodstream, or it breaks down and is excreted.

If you consume a lot of saturated and spenders, the liver will produce more low-density structures for transporting cholesterol, thereby increasing the percentage of bad cholesterol in the blood and making it harder to clear the vessels for HDL.

This is for a plant-based diet. And if you add pure cholesterol to saturated fats (which vegans don’t get from food), then you yourself can imagine – it, of course, will be even more in the blood, since 40-60% of cholesterol consumed with food is absorbed and fed directly to blood flow. Someone else manages to manipulate the fact that some cholesterol-containing foods increase the level of “good” cholesterol. So, a bit withholding that the level of the bad is also growing at the same time.

What is the normal level of cholesterol?

Let’s take my husband’s cholesterol level as an example. He recently had tests.

• Total cholesterol 125 mg / dL (norm <200 mg / dL) 90 120
• HDL (good) 40 mg / dL (normal> 35 mg / dL) 90 120
• LDL (poor) 81 mg / dL (norm <130 mg / dL) 90 120

A good ratio of total cholesterol to HDL is considered to be a value not exceeding 4. For women, a ratio of 4.4: 1 is already considered dangerous, so it is advisable for us to focus on the top three.

Let’s count on the example of my husband: 125/40 = 3.1. Just fine.

Products regulating cholesterol levels

Our body needs fiber and water to get rid of its spent substances (hormones, cholesterol, toxins – it doesn’t matter). In general, we have only three methods of cleansing – through urine, feces and sweat. So it makes sense that foods rich in soluble fiber can lower the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood. Legumes, oatmeal, some vegetables, spices, nuts.

Nuts and seeds inhibit the production of bad cholesterol while stimulating the production of good cholesterol. Chia seeds and flaxseeds are good sources of fat, but they need to be ground up or there is no benefit. Purple fruits and vegetables are rich in anthocyanin (an antioxidant), which is involved in the production of good cholesterol. Cold-pressed coconut and olive oils are also beneficial.

To have a healthy cholesterol level, it is worth quitting smoking. There was a study that showed that smoking blocks the production of good cholesterol.1,500 people quit smoking and their good cholesterol levels rose. And of course – sports. Sports also regulate cholesterol production and balance hormones.

If you have any concerns about cholesterol, I advise you to go, get tested and understand the situation. In fact, we do not need a lot of fat for the smooth functioning of the liver, and very rarely talk about pathologies associated with a lack of cholesterol. One tablespoon of flax seeds contains the daily requirement of Omega 3, two tablespoons of walnuts provide the need for Omega 6.In addition, almost every plant contains a little fats. In my experience, being vegan makes it very easy to meet your daily fat needs without even consuming refined oils. And in general, I now find more and more evidence that the less fat in the body, the less inflammation in the body, stronger immunity and more rational use of resources. So it’s not about the figure at all – we are all beautiful, regardless of our shapes! The main thing is to feel good.

Finally

Plant nutrition has great potential.However, when you go vegan, your diet does not automatically become healthy, and therefore there are such loopholes for arguing against veganism. But you must admit that you cannot compare the health of a young person with the health of an old one, just as you cannot compare the health of a person who goes in for sports and maintains a nutritional balance (non-vegan) with a vegan who cares not so much about his health as about the fate of animals on the planet (due to which he may not devote time to sports and cooking at home).Everyone has their own purpose, and the word “vegan” does not mean “healthy”, and vegans in general do not have to be healthy – no one has to! It’s a choice. Another thing is that a vegan can actually be healthier than someone else if he balances his diet.

After a webinar with a Russian nutritionist (a very experienced, educated, beautiful girl), I realized that the main problem now is the lack of knowledge about veganism. People just don’t know that a vegan diet CAN be balanced, so they don’t even look behind the curtain to figure it out.We are talking about the same thing: about the same functions of the liver, about the role of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, about the role of glucose, insulin, etc., etc. But the answer is always categorical: “it will be difficult for you, since a vegan diet cannot be balanced.” Yes, this is not a well-trodden path, but it leads to the right place! If it weren’t for the bias … you look, nutritionists around the world would stop being afraid to talk about veganism and would give their clients a full CHOICE.

Useful links:

Article: National Medical Society for Preventive Cardiology: Cholesterol

Videos: Dr. Neil Barnard: Cholesterol, Cause of Heart Disease

Article in English: Livekindly: Where Do Vegans Get Cholesterol

Video in English: Dr.Barnard : Cutting Through the Cholesterol Confusion

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90,000 Vegetarian diet for weight loss: a menu for a week, reviews – minus 10 kg is easy

Losing weight and at the same time reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer – all this is possible on a vegetarian diet. Get recipes for delicious and healthy dishes that will return you slimness and health.

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The basic principle of a vegetarian diet is the rejection of animal products: meat, eggs, fish.Vegetarianism is a way of life that helps to improve its quality, to reduce the amount of extra pounds.

Losing weight with a balanced vegetarian diet is always effective. In addition to the cleansing effect and the loss of kilograms, supporters of vegetarianism note a feeling of lightness in the body, a good mood. There is an opposite opinion, noting that dietary food still does harm to the body. But there are very few examples proving the validity of the statement.The vegetarian regimen still holds the leading position among many other weight loss methods.

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Vegetarian system for weight loss and health

Physicians, nutritionists and scientists argue that a vegetarian diet is beneficial for losing weight and improving the body, since it limits the accumulation of harmful cholesterol and fats. Adherents of this nutritional system consume plant foods rich in dietary fiber, enriched with vitamins and useful components.

Geobotanical products contain much less calories and fat than animal products. Fruits and vegetables help to normalize intestinal motility, improve general condition, and satisfy hunger. Medical sources note that vegetarians are not susceptible to cancer, and hypertensive patients are rare among them. Strokes and heart attacks are very rare.

Leo Tolstoy, T. Edison, Leonardo da Vinci preferred the vegetable table. What a wonderful legacy the greats have left, justifying the fair opinion about the beneficial effects of vegetarianism on brain activity.

What are the benefits of plant foods

A properly organized plant-based diet has a positive effect on the human body, promotes its purification and weight loss, and slows down the aging process.

1. Eating plant foods every day helps to reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. Such a nutritional system can reduce the risk of cancer.
2. The use of root crops, cereals, herbs and fruits helps to avoid infection of the body with Escherichia coli, Salmonella.
3. Scientific studies have shown that vegetable eaters live longer than those who eat regular foods, animal fats, and deli meats.
4. The diet of lean food lovers, containing grains, nuts, legumes, fruits, fruits, helps to provide the body with the necessary vitamins, folic acid. Crop products contain minerals necessary for normal organ function.Legumes, tofu, seeds provide protein, and leafy greens provide antioxidants.
5. The minimum content of saturated fat, cholesterol normalizes excess weight, reduces the risk of developing diseases associated with excess weight.

Negative aspects

Like any type of Pollotarianism, vegetarianism has some negative properties.

1. If animal protein, which is contained in beef or pork meat, is absorbed by the body completely and quickly enough, then the body spends more time on the absorption of plant proteins, assimilating only half of it.
2. Some doctors argue that without animal fats, immunity decreases, and susceptibility to colds increases. Perhaps the cause of anemia is the loss of calcium, which weakens the skeletal system.
3. It is not recommended to adhere to this system for children, pregnant women, as well as young people under the age of 30, so as not to deprive the growing body of certain amino acids that affect growth, vitamins of group B.
4. If you are an adherent of veganism, it should be borne in mind that the lack of the diet of milk and its derivatives causes problems of the hematopoietic and nervous systems.
5. The predominance of coarse fiber and legumes in the diet can lead to bloating.

This is not a complete list of the pros and cons of a plant-based diet. There are a number of circumstantial arguments related to the disadvantages of vegetarianism. On the positive side, some vegetarians – centenarians fully attribute their good health to diet alone.

And an indirect disadvantage is the financial side of the issue. In our conditions, in order to provide a varied, full-fledged menu without meat and animal fats, tangible costs will be needed.And not every doctor will take responsibility for the child’s future if his pregnant mother eats only herbal products.

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Rules

Vegetarian diet for weight loss is aimed at the natural burning of fat, renewal of the body. With strict observance of the rules, competent combination of the constituent components of the diet, it helps to lose weight by 10 kg in one to two weeks.

To correctly calculate calorie intake and portion size, you need to purchase a simple electronic scale, learn to count the calorie content of dishes, the amount of calories your body needs.It is important to follow the rules of cooking with a vegetarian diet, namely:

• exclude fried foods;
• Use salt sparingly;
• avoid the use of spices, other flavoring seasonings, including vinegar, it can be replaced with lemon juice.

Menu for the week

It is quite easy to create your own balanced vegetarian diet menu for the week. Below is a seven-day ration that can be used as a basis of nutrition, changing products to identical ones.It should be remembered that the total amount of servings consumed at one time should not exceed 500 grams.

Monday

• Breakfast: one hard-boiled egg, rye bread sandwich with Adyghe cheese.
• Lunch: steamed buckwheat, seasoned with oil, salad of fresh vegetables and herbs, seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice.
• Afternoon snack: any sweet fruit, excluding bananas, compote.
• Dinner: baked vegetable stew – potatoes, carrots, eggplants, zucchini.Season vegetables with olive oil and drizzle with lemon juice.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: cottage cheese with fresh fruit or berries. You can add honey to the curd and berry mixture as a sweetener.
• Lunch: potatoes stewed with onions and mushrooms (fresh or frozen, but not canned), green escariole and celery salad seasoned with olive oil, bran or rye bread.
• Afternoon snack: berry jelly and diet biscuit biscuits.
• Dinner: rice porridge cooked in milk.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: warm salad of boiled vegetables with rapeseed oil and lemon juice, boiled egg. Vegetables will be tastier and healthier when cooked in a double boiler.
• Lunch: lean soup with mushroom broth, tomato salad with onions, seasoned with unrefined sunflower or olive oil.
• Afternoon snack: 50 g of assorted nuts and compote from berries or dried fruits.
• Dinner: country cottage cheese with honey and a glass of kefir.

Thursday

• Breakfast: one egg and milk omelet, oven-baked or steamed, natural low-fat yoghurt mixed with fresh fruit.
• Lunch: oat puree soup with vegetables, fresh or sauerkraut salad, rye bread.
• Afternoon snack: cocktail of kefir and berries or fruits.
• Dinner: buckwheat porridge in milk with steamed raisins.

Friday

• Breakfast: vinaigrette with beans and linseed oil, boiled egg in a bag.
• Lunch: boiled rice with vegetables, seasoned with ghee, bread. You can supplement the diet with a small handful of nuts.
• Afternoon snack: natural yoghurt or fermented baked milk with fresh berries and fruits.
• Dinner: Boiled or steamed vegetables, seasoned with curry and hemp oil.

Saturday

• Breakfast: a mixture of natural cottage cheese with berries or fruits, seasoned with honey.
• Lunch: peppers stuffed with vegetables with the addition of butter, bran or rye bread.
• Afternoon snack: nuts with honey, freshly squeezed apple juice.
• Dinner: Vinaigrette with beans, seasoned with unrefined sunflower oil.

Sunday

• Breakfast: an omelet of one egg and milk, baked in the oven, a sandwich with Adyghe cheese.
• Lunch: borscht or cabbage soup cooked in vegetable broth, bread, green salad with linseed oil.
• Afternoon snack: sweet fruit with juice or compote.
• Dinner: mashed potatoes and milk.

A balanced geobotanical program is the key to weight loss, rejuvenation and good health. However, doctors strongly recommend supplementing such a rigid diet with foods containing iodine and calcium. It will be useful to include in the menu seaweed, seafood and fish.

Recipes

Many dishes familiar to us in everyday life will become vegetarian if animal protein is removed from them.Therefore, it is impossible to cover the entire vegetarian cuisine in one article, so below are several recipes for a lean table that will help those who are losing weight to organize their meals at the initial stage.

Lean cabbage soup or borscht

Despite the lack of meat, vegetarian soups are rich and satisfying. They are prepared easier and faster than with beef or pork broth.

To prepare vegetarian cabbage soup, you will need:

• a small head of white cabbage;
• one carrot;
• small onion head;
• 2 medium potatoes;
• homemade tomato paste or one large tomato;
• garlic clove.

Cooking process:

1. Pour 2 liters of clean water into a saucepan and boil it.
2. Cut the cabbage into thin strips and put in boiling water for 15 minutes.
3. While the cabbage is cooking, you need to grate or finely chop the carrots and onions, fry them in vegetable oil, at the end add tomato paste or finely chopped tomato, peeled garlic to the vegetables and then simmer the dressing over low heat with the lid closed.
4. Peel and dice the potatoes.
5. Add the chopped potatoes to the boiled cabbage and bring the soup to a boil.
6. Add the seasoning of vegetables and tomato paste to the pan, turn off the heat and let the cabbage soup stand for 10-15 minutes.

Cooking tips:

• If you prefer borscht, just add a small beetroot to your roast.
• The soup will turn out to be lighter if the carrots, onions, tomatoes and beets are not fried, but are added fresh to the saucepan.
• For a more nutritious and satisfying soup, you can add pre-cooked beans to the soup.
• Vegetarian cabbage soup and borscht go well with fresh herbs. Chop parsley, dill, green onions and add them to the bowl of soup.

Cereals and cereals

By themselves, cereals in any form belong to the vegetarian table, as they are of plant origin. They are prepared for breakfast in the form of cereals, for lunch and dinner as a side dish or main course. If you are following a vegetarian diet for weight loss, here are some tips on how to prepare the main types of grains for your diet.

1. Buckwheat will be more beneficial if it is not boiled, but steamed. Add washed buckwheat and boiling water to the pan at the rate of 1: 2, that is, two glasses of water are needed for a glass of cereal. Close the pot tightly and leave for 10-12 hours. You can add honey, berries and fruits, dried fruits to the finished porridge.
2. Steamed oatmeal will also retain more nutrients than boiled oatmeal. Pour 1 glass of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil, add salt to taste and remove the pan from heat.Add a glass of oatmeal to boiling water, close the lid tightly and let it brew for several hours. You can add nuts, fresh fruits and berries, dried fruits, honey to the finished porridge. It is recommended to cook one portion at a time, as this porridge greatly loses its taste during long-term storage.
3. Rice grits can also be steamed, but this process will take several days, and the properties of the porridge will not differ from the cooked one. Rice is cooked immediately before use: boil two glasses of water, add a glass of washed rice, close the lid and simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the cereal stand for another 10 minutes.This cereal goes well with vegetables, so it is often used for lunch or dinner as a main course.

Other Diet Options

Basically, the prefix “veg” means the exclusion of meat from the diet. But vegetarianism contains many nuances related not only to food, but to lifestyle. There are over a billion vegetarians on the planet. Adherents of this food system are divided among themselves into groups that differ from each other not only in ideology, but also in the products they use.The main groups are vegetarians and vegans. The essential difference between a vegetarian and vegan diet is the strictness of the diet.

Vegans do not eat any meat, refuse milk and fish, exclude eggs from the diet. In rare cases, honey can be consumed. Official medicine and science consider such a very rigid system to be harmful. A complete rejection of animal protein entails vitamin deficiency, a decrease in iron levels up to anemia, and severe weight loss. Naturally, strict adherence causes serious health problems.In their lifestyle, vegans are guided by moral principles, placing at the head of their worldview an irreconcilable attitude to the exploitation of animals and, accordingly, to meat and milk. Along with the exclusion of meat dishes from their table, vegans do not wear clothes and do not use household chemicals obtained as a result of the addition of animal materials in their manufacture. They refuse to visit zoos, circuses, motivating the refusal by the fact that animals are kept there in captivity, etc.

Vegetarians prefer plant foods, but at the same time they consume milk and dairy products, eggs, fish and seafood, poultry.Pork, beef, and lamb are completely absent in their diet. Honey is controversial, but the soft attitude of this group to some types of food allows it too. For some, the plant-based diet is a way of life, for others it is a way of nutrition that supports health. Doctors note that such a rich diet is beneficial for the body.

A large group of ordinary vegetarians is divided into several subgroups:

1. Lacto-vegetarians, using geobotanical food, can afford milk, kefir, sour cream, butter.This system is widely promoted by Indian philosophical and religious movements.
2. Ovo – The vegetarian program eliminates the use of milk, but allows the use of eggs and honey for meals. From an ethical point of view, a diet containing eggs is justified, since modern poultry farming supplies unfertilized eggs, that is, their contents are not living things. In addition, eggs are present in many dishes and baked goods. Thus, this system is considered a democratic type of fasting.It is good for those who cannot tolerate dairy delicacies.
3. Lacto-ovo vegetarianism is considered the most popular subspecies. Adherents of this trend do not eat meat of birds and animals, fish and seafood, but eggs and milk are added to food.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians are divided into two subgroups:

• The first group refuses to eat meat for ethical reasons and compassion for animals;
• The second adhere to a similar eating regimen, wishing to improve their health.

There are several other varieties of dietary systems related to each other:

• Frutorianism, for example, means eating only fresh fruits, provided that they are grown and harvested without damaging the plants themselves. This highly dangerous eating pattern results in catastrophic weight loss and serious health problems.
• Su vegetarianism is widespread among Buddhists. The main principle is the exclusion from the diet of livestock and crop products that have an unpleasant odor (for example, onions, garlic).
• The system based on the use of cereals and legumes is called macrobiotic. However, it is considered vegetarian conditionally, since it contains fish.
• Raw foodists eat any vegetables, fruits, nuts, without subjecting them to heat treatment.

When choosing your diet from the above options, it is imperative that you consult with your doctor or professional nutritionist. Refusal from animal protein, and even more so the transition to some fruits or raw vegetables, can lead to undesirable consequences, deprive the body of important substances it needs.

Sports

The standard athlete’s menu necessarily contains a large amount of animal protein. The vegetarian sports diet suggests replacing animal proteins with vegetable proteins and achieving results without eating meat or even dairy products. Contrary to the standard view of sports nutrition, the benefits of a plant-based diet have been proven by the practice of vegetarian athletes. It is important to adhere to the following rules:

1. You should not completely exclude or greatly reduce foods containing carbohydrates from the diet.Their use is necessary to support the body’s performance during the period of intense training. Slow carbs should be eaten before exercise, combined with a small amount of protein.
2. Vegetable protein should be consumed immediately after training in combination with a small amount of carbohydrates. This will allow the body to build muscle tissue.
3. When dieting in conjunction with exercise, you should drink plenty of clean water to stay hydrated.

Occasionally vegetarian athletes include protein shakes in their diet that are not made with animal protein.However, you can do without them.

Menu for the week

The selection of dishes for a sports diet is quite varied and satisfying. The athletes’ food set includes the main types of food:

• all vegetables, cooked by stewing, boiled or raw;
• fruits – all kinds, prepared in any way;
• greens, all types of lettuce;
• legumes: lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas;
• grain crops: brown rice, buckwheat, millet, wheat, hemp seeds, seeds, etc.;
• pasta, bread;
• oils – rapeseed, sunflower, linseed, olive, grape, etc.

Serving sizes are selected individually, depending on the initial data and physical activity. If you feel that you are satiated, it is permissible to refuse some dishes. When you are active in sports, a variety of meals will be ideal for keeping fit.

The menu below is for athletes who consume protein shakes during or after training. If you don’t want to drink them, be sure to include chicken eggs in your diet.

Day One

• Breakfast: a glass of low-fat cow’s milk (can be replaced with soy milk, but not desirable), one piece of bran bread.
• Second breakfast: oatmeal on the water, a loaf of soy flour, freshly squeezed juice.
• Lunch: bowl of vegetable soup, steamed or grilled fish, soy sauce. Boiled legumes (beans, beans, peas) as a garnish for fish. For the third glass of herbal tea.
• Afternoon snack: a glass of low-fat kefir, rye bread.
• Dinner: boiled rice, preferably brown or brown (200 g) and shrimp (15-20 pcs.), A cup of unsweetened green tea.
• If hunger persists, eat one small orange before bed.

Second day

• Breakfast: oatmeal in water, better steamed, orange, herbal tea.
• Second breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese mixed with fresh fruits or berries, such as pear, dates, plums.
• Lunch: milk soup, seafood, vinaigrette made from steamed vegetables, soy bun with berries.
• Snack: a glass of freshly squeezed apple juice, a small soy bun.
• Dinner: buckwheat porridge with stewed mushrooms, a glass of green tea.
• At night, you can eat a small piece of a bun with butter and drink apple and sea buckthorn juice.

Third day

• Breakfast: 100 g of fresh cottage cheese with a little honey, a cup of black coffee without sugar or tea.
• Second breakfast: fresh pineapples about 200 grams. Canned fruits are acceptable, provided they are sugar-free.
• Lunch: vegetable soup with fish broth, boiled young potatoes, salad of fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and olives, seasoned with lemon juice and vegetable oil, fresh juice or compote without sugar.
• Afternoon snack: a handful of walnuts, still mineral water drink with fresh lemon or orange juice in a 1: 1 ratio.
• Dinner: rice with boiled vegetables, green tea without sugar.
• Before going to bed, you can drink a glass of kefir.

Fourth day

• Breakfast: rice pudding and half a glass of skim milk or soy milk.
• Second breakfast: fruit salad dressed with natural yogurt, a glass of pineapple juice.
• Lunch: lean vegetable soup, boiled seafood (mussels, squid, shrimps), stewed zucchini, coarse bread with bran, a glass of mineral water with gas.
• Afternoon snack: fresh apple, flour and bran bun, herbal tea.
• Dinner: low-fat boiled or steamed fish, a small amount of durum wheat pasta, fresh juice or compote.
• Before bed, you can eat an orange or kiwi.

Day 5

• Breakfast: oat muesli with nuts or dried fruits, unsweetened tea or coffee.
• Second breakfast: fresh cottage cheese with banana, berry jelly.
• Lunch: Vegetable okroshka, light-salted herring with new potatoes, rye bread, fresh berries or fruits.
• Afternoon snack: fresh fruits and berries with honey.
• Dinner: boiled rice with stewed mushrooms, fresh tomato salad with onions, seasoned with vegetable oil and lemon juice.
• Before going to bed, you can drink a glass of kefir.

Sixth day

• Breakfast: bun with poppy seeds and honey, a glass of prune compote.
• Second breakfast: oatmeal in water, two tablespoons of sunflower seeds, unsweetened green tea.
• Lunch: seafood soup, mashed potatoes with soy milk, salad of green olives with fresh herbs, natural grape juice.
• Afternoon snack: low-fat fresh cottage cheese with raisins, mineral water with lemon or orange juice.
• Dinner: stewed fish, baked zucchini, boiled green peas, unsweetened green tea.
• You can eat an orange or kiwi at night.

Seventh day

• Breakfast: a glass of kefir with fresh fruit or berries, a bun made of wholemeal flour.
• Second breakfast: fruit salad of banana, apple and nuts, unsweetened tea or herbal infusion.
• Lunch: buckwheat porridge with stewed mushrooms, green salad of celery, lettuce, dill and parsley, seasoned with vegetable oil, fresh apple juice.
• Afternoon snack: a glass of kefir with wheat bread.
• Dinner: boiled rice, stewed seafood, green tea.
• Before bed, you can drink fruit or berry jelly.

Protein

Protein diet for vegetarians differs from the classic carbohydrate-free diet due to the specifics of the diet, therefore the diet is based on the use of foods with a high protein content and the right combination of dishes.

Plant sources of protein are legumes, soy and soy products, barley and corn. Nutritionists strongly recommend including milk and dairy products, quail and chicken eggs in the diet. If your diet is strictly vegan, you need to be prepared for the following problems:

• Excessive protein leads to increased stress on the kidneys and adrenal glands, contributing to the development of chronic diseases and the formation of stones;
• Abundant loss of fluid promotes rapid leaching of calcium from the body, thereby harming bones, teeth, hair and nails;
• lowering cholesterol below the permissible level, which is fraught with emotional disorders, circulatory disorders, chronic upset of the digestive system;
• increased blood clotting, increased risk of blood clots.

In addition to the above problems, there is also a risk not to lose weight, but to gain it. Protein is necessary for the body to build muscle mass, but simply supplying it to the body is pointless. Carbohydrate-free diets should always be combined with active physical activity, otherwise the effect will be either weak or negative.

Menu

The menu for vegetarians below contains chicken and quail eggs, cheeses, yoghurts.Nutritionists strongly advise against giving up these foods. For one meal, it is necessary to consume products of no more than 300 grams of total weight. During the day, you need to drink plenty of water – clean drinking water at least two liters.

Monday

• Breakfast: steamed oatmeal porridge, natural unsweetened yoghurt and berries cocktail, wholemeal wheat bread.
• Lunch: lean soup based on green lentils, boiled quinoa with almonds and raisins, diet bread, berry or fruit juice.
• Snack: nuts or fruits.
• Dinner: boiled corn with stewed vegetables (carrots, zucchini, eggplant, onion, tomato), green tea.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: sprouted grains of wheat or legumes, carrot and orange smoothies.
• Lunch: vegetable soup with legumes, durum wheat pasta, soy sausages or wieners, fruit compote.
• Snack: nuts or fruits.
• Dinner: vegetable salad with chickpeas, steamed buckwheat porridge, a glass of milk.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: hard-boiled chicken or quail egg, natural unsweetened juice, rye bread.
• Lunch: vegetable puree soup, boiled hummus or green peas, rye bread, fruit compote.
• Snack: cashew nuts.
• Dinner: stewed vegetables, soy tofu cheese, a glass of fermented baked milk.

Thursday

• Breakfast: pearl barley, pumpkin smoothie, green apple.
• Lunch: vegetable soup with chickpeas, vegetable stew baked in the oven, diet bread, a glass of juice.
• Afternoon snack: roasted chestnuts or fresh vegetables.
• Dinner: boiled broccoli, hard-boiled chicken egg, a glass of soy milk.

Friday

• Breakfast: hard-boiled chicken or quail egg, natural unsweetened juice, rye bread.
• Lunch: Indian dhal soup based on beans and coconut milk, green peas, rye bread, compote or juice.
• Snack: any nuts.
• Dinner: flaxseed porridge, a glass of unsweetened yogurt.

Saturday

• Breakfast: soy cheese, strawberry banana smoothie, green tea.
• Lunch: pumpkin puree soup, stewed beans with vegetables, asparagus, juice or compote.
• Afternoon snack: cottage cheese with fruit.
• Dinner: brown rice with corn, fermented baked milk or natural unsweetened yogurt.

Sunday

• Breakfast: barley porridge with raisins, whole wheat bread, cocoa with milk.
• Lunch: light vegetable soup with rice groats, pilaf with chickpeas, diet bread, juice or fruit drink.
• Snack: Unsweetened yogurt or fruit.
• Dinner: stewed vegetables, tofu cheese, a glass of kefir or fermented baked milk.

Reviews and results of those who have lost weight

There are objective reasons that are guided by people who choose the vegetarian system as a way of life. Some care about the safety of the animal world, others care about their health. Be that as it may, but in society they look at vegetarians with some bewilderment, sometimes sympathy is not clear why, sometimes with irony, and sometimes they are perceived as sick people.Let’s see how those who have experienced it on themselves say about vegetarianism. Below are the reviews, the results of different people who, due to personal addictions, became vegetarians.

Margarita Chekalina, Nizhny Tagil

I became a vegetarian 2 years ago. Following a vegetarian diet helped me get rid of constipation, atopic dermatitis. In addition, I lost a lot of weight when I started to eat properly, my weight was about 95 kg with a height of 169 cm.Now I weigh a little over 70 kg. Before switching to lean food, you need to prepare yourself, your body. Be sure to think over what products you will use, what menu you will compose. A few days before switching to a diet, cleanse the intestines, and the day before, eat only raw apples, pears, figs, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, greens. It is necessary to drink a lot of water, it is better to drink mineral water, but only without gas. The next day, do a deload: do not eat anything, drink water with lemon juice and the addition of honey.Eat raw vegetables or tree fruits again immediately before starting a new lifestyle. Start the next day with a vegetarian breakfast. Continue on a lean diet.

My body was cleansed in a week. How it was: fecal stones came out, I lost more than three kilograms, numerous acne disappeared. Watching the film “Earthlings” helped me a lot. I hope it helps you to survive the post.

Olga Petushinskaya, 26 years old, Saransk

I “got hooked” on the vegetarian system more than a year ago.Somehow one book caught my eye, I don’t remember the author now. But it was about the dangers of animal protein, fats and other food that did not grow out of the earth. I remember there was a lot of talk about carbohydrate-free foods. Something happened to me, I began to follow the advice of the author. Of course, my desire to lose weight affected. In my school and student years, I was distinguished by plumpness, I always looked with envy at slender girlfriends.

The first thing I did when I started my vegetarian epic: I gave up alcoholic beverages, fats, animal proteins, and sweets.Instead, I discovered amazingly delicious, nutritious dried fruits. Sausage sandwiches, fried eggs, fast foods replaced me with porridge with vegetable oil, lean soups, I always ate salads seasoned with lemon juice. However, healthy recipes are easy to find online. I will not dwell on this.

I’ll tell you about my impressions. The first month of proper adherence to vegetarianism shocked me. At first I was covered with pimples. Panicked, of course. I had to see a dermatologist.Fortunately, the uncle turned out to be understanding, explained that the body is thus cleansed. He advised me to wait a bit. Indeed, the results met my very best expectations. After a few months, the skin became velvety, a very pleasant pale pink shade. Even my acquaintances ask me which cream improved the skin so much. One more moment pleases, we all sweat, but vegetarians, frankly speaking, sweat without an unpleasant smell. That’s for sure.

There was one more problem: my hair began to fall out.Therefore, I still drink multivitamins. Nails have become stronger, do not exfoliate, do not break. I also boast of a healthy sleep, I sleep like a baby.

Now I have to withstand the attacks of my mother, who considers vegetarianism almost a disease, she is sure that it can affect hormonal levels … It’s hard to explain that this is my way of life, that I like to feel easy, free, always be fit and slender. But I can handle!

Liza Almataeva 15 years old, St.Cheboksary

I believe that you need to eat everything that gets into the refrigerator. And if I feel bad without meat, I like sandwiches with sausage and mustard? I will not torture myself with any restrictions. Here’s another, there is grass !!!! Our neighbor is on diets, she has become skinny as a board.

Vladimir Chegodaev 35 years old, physical education teacher, Bratsk

If a person can do without meat, let him not eat it. I do not understand at all why, for example, some meat-eaters try to convince vegetarians that it is impossible to live without meat, that it is necessary to replenish the vitamin supply.I believe that the products from the garden contain all the necessary substances. I go in for sports, I adhere to the lacto-ovo-vegetarian system, I am happy with everything, especially with my victories in amateur sports. A balanced lacto-ovo vegetarian diet provides the body with all the nutrients it needs. For example, there is no need to worry about a lack of vitamin B12 while eating eggs.

Antonina Berezina, cook, 44g., P. Novo-Alekseevka Chishminsky District RB

I heard about the dangers of meat and other fatty delicacies, I decided to become a vegetarian.In our village it is not easy to do this: we eat only meat and potatoes. But I really wanted to lose weight, my clothes became too small. With a foolishness, I stopped eating not only meat, but milk, eggs. Of course, the lack of vitamins made itself felt. I started yelling at everyone, the mood was always bad, I wanted to sleep, I can’t express how much. It got to the point that she began to faint. I went to the paramedic, took a blood test. It turned out that my hemoglobin is low. And all because of the vegetarian food. In general, I parted with the dream of a slim figure and a thin waist, I started eating meat, fatty pancakes, pancakes.You know, life has improved. I want to sing in the morning. So, I do not think that vegetarian food is useful, it helps to lose weight. She didn’t help me!

Mikhail Ostroverkh, 55 years old, locksmith, Taganrog

I remember my first experience with lean food very well. I started this business about 8 years ago, when problems with cholesterol and high blood pressure began. The first month was difficult, the lack of iron was formed. After a while, I felt discomfort in my stomach, and wondered why my stomach is swollen? I read something on the Internet, consulted a doctor, and found out that this is due to the abundant intake of fiber and fruit dietary fiber with fruits and roots that I ate in abundance.They cause increased gas production, flatulence, and sometimes diarrhea. I had to adjust the recipes, added legumes and cereals from them, limited apples, cabbage, causing discomfort. Now I feel quite healthy, and my cholesterol dropped to normal without pills!

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Is a vegetarian diet good for your cardiovascular system?

According to a study by scientists at St. Michael’s Hospital (St.Michael’s Hospital, Canada, a low-carb vegetarian diet, along with weight loss, can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10% over the next 10 years. The results of the study are published in the British Medical Journal.

Many low-carbohydrate diets help reduce body weight, but most include the consumption of animal proteins and fats, which can raise blood plasma cholesterol levels.In turn, a diet high in plant proteins and oils can reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as the level of “bad” cholesterol.

In a new study, researchers examined the effects of a developed low-carb vegetarian diet on the cardiovascular health of obese patients. The study participants were provided with menu plans describing food items and their quantities. These plans served as a reference guide and provided participants with a list of suitable diets.Thus, the participants were able to better adapt their diet to personal food preferences by being able to select the optimal products from the proposed menu plan.

In a 6-month study, 23 obese male and female patients were asked to consume 60% of their RDA. It is worth noting that the participants received 26% of kcal from consumed carbohydrates, 31% from proteins and 43% from fats, mainly vegetable oils. Sources of carbohydrates were foods high in fiber, such as oats and barley, and vegetables that were low in starch, such as okra and eggplant, proteins – fiber, soy, vegetables, nuts and grains, fats – nuts, vegetable oils, soy products and avocado.

The results of the study showed that a vegetarian, low-carbohydrate diet helped reduce cholesterol levels in study participants by 10%, as well as reduce their body weight by an average of 4 kg.

Thus, scientists have been able to develop a diet that combines both products of a vegetarian diet and those with a low content of carbohydrates, which, in turn, allows a person who adheres to this diet, not only to reduce body weight, but also to lower cholesterol in blood plasma.

Based on materials from http://www.stmichaelshospital.com

90,000 Menu for a week with high cholesterol

The fact of an increased blood cholesterol level is not so terrible as the consequences of this condition are.Numerous studies show that the higher the blood cholesterol level, the higher the risk of getting sick and dying from diseases associated with atherosclerosis. First of all, it is ischemic heart disease, heart attack, cerebral blood supply disorder – stroke.

Blood cholesterol level should not exceed 5.2 mmol / l. If this happens, be sure to get a doctor’s advice, he will choose the tactics of further measures, but you need to pay close attention to your nutrition.

Basic principles of nutrition for high cholesterol:

1. A diet with high cholesterol is prescribed for a long time, at least 6 months, in many cases, its principles should be adhered to throughout life.
2. Restriction of fat. Animal fats are especially harmful to the body, their sources are fatty meat (lamb, pork, goose meat), fatty dairy products – sour cream, cream, butter.
3. Meat and poultry must be cooked in such a way that they are not in fat, free fat must drain off.
4. Poultry skin must be removed prior to cooking.
5. Meat or chicken stock must be refrigerated to remove hardened fat from the surface. Or cook soups in 2 broth, while the first one is drained.
6. For salads, you can use low-fat dressings – lemon juice, low-fat yogurt, curd cheeses, etc.
7. Substitute low-fat or low-fat dairy products in all recipes. Use low-fat cheeses.
8. Vegetables can be stewed in broth instead of butter or margarine.
9. Egg yolks should be consumed in limited quantities, no more than 2 yolks per week. Proteins do not contain cholesterol, so they can be used more often in the diet.
10. Add foods rich in dietary fiber to food: fruits, vegetables, whole grains – cereals, bread. You can additionally use bran by adding them to dishes.
11. Some products on the menu can be replaced with soy counterparts. Soy is free of cholesterol. For example, you can use soy tofu cheese.
12. A sufficient amount of complex carbohydrates in the diet – cereals, cereals, grain pasta, whole grain bread, vegetables, fruits.At the same time, there should be a minimum amount of simple carbohydrates. Sources of simple carbohydrates: sugar and all foods containing it, white bread, baked goods.
13. Include in the menu food sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids: sea fish, nuts, vegetable oils. It is important that these foods are present in the diet, but their amount is moderate. There should be about 3 servings of 100-120g of sea fish per week, nuts should be consumed in dried form, without any additives, you can eat no more than 1 handful per day – about 10-12 pieces, use vegetable oil 5-6 teaspoons in a day.
14. In most people, high cholesterol levels are associated with being overweight, so lowering it most often leads to a decrease in cholesterol levels.

Fresh fruits and berries must be added to the above menu. They are perfect for a snack between breakfast and lunch.

MONDAY

Breakfast: barley porridge in a multicooker

Lunch: soup with root celery and oatmeal; zucchini with mushrooms in a slow cooker

Afternoon snack: beet salad with green peas

Dinner: stew in a multicooker

TUESDAY

Breakfast: cottage cheese with fruit similar to this recipe

Lunch: soup with root celery and oatmeal; zucchini with mushrooms in a slow cooker

Afternoon snack: kefir with banana, ginger and cinnamon

Dinner: stew in a multicooker

MEDIUM

Breakfast: millet porridge with pumpkin

Lunch: Brussels sprouts soup; chicken in kefir with basil

Afternoon snack: fresh cabbage salad with apples

Dinner: fish with rice and vegetables in a multicooker

THURSDAY

Breakfast: oatmeal

Lunch: Brussels sprouts soup; chicken in kefir with basil

Afternoon snack: cheesecakes without flour

Dinner: fish with rice and vegetables in a multicooker

FRIDAY

Breakfast: cheesecakes without flour

Lunch: broccoli puree soup; beef pilaf

Afternoon snack: green smoothie

Dinner: pink salmon in a slow cooker on a vegetable cushion of green beans and asparagus

SATURDAY

Breakfast: couscous with pumpkin and cranberries in a slow cooker

Lunch: broccoli puree soup; beef pilaf

Afternoon snack: fresh beetroot salad with walnuts

Dinner: pink salmon in a slow cooker on a vegetable cushion of green beans and asparagus

SUNDAY

Breakfast: couscous with pumpkin and cranberries in a slow cooker

Lunch: tomato puree soup; aromatic lentils with vegetables

Afternoon snack: green tea smoothie

Dinner: baked celery root with vegetables

The menu for obesity has been compiled taking into account the principles of the “Menu of the week” system.

Weekly shopping list (for 2 people)

Vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, herbs:
– zucchini – 1 pc.
– tomatoes – 5 pcs.
– greens (parsley, dill, basil) – 9 bunches
– onions – 8 pcs.
– Bulgarian pepper – 2 pcs.
– carrots – 5 pcs.
– cauliflower – 1 head of cabbage
– potatoes – 5 pcs.
– broccoli – 450 g
– green peas – 120 g
– corn – 100 g
– leeks – 80 g
– white cabbage – 250 g
– Brussels sprouts – 500 g
– ginger – 1 pc.
– pumpkin – 370 g
– celery stalk – 5 pcs.
– Root celery – 250 g
– Garlic – 2 pcs.
– champignons – 300 g
– beets – 350 g
– green beans – 250 g
– asparagus – 150 g
– fennel – 150 g
– apples – 3 pcs.
– banana – 3 pcs.
– dried cranberries – 100 g
– kiwi – 2 pcs.
– lemon – 1 pc.

Meat, fish, eggs:
– eggs – 2 pcs.
– pink salmon – 500 g
– beef – 400 g
– chicken fillet – 850 g
– turkey fillet – 500 g
– white sea fish – 600 g

Dairy products:
– butter – 30 g
– milk – 500 ml
– cottage cheese – 600 g
– kefir – 500 ml
– goat cheese – 10 g

Grocery
– barley groats – 100 g
– oat flakes – 180 g
– millet – 50 g
– couscous – 200 g
– rice – 400 g
– red lentils – 130 g
– vegetable oil – 200 ml
– olive oil – 3 tbsp.l.
– tomatoes in their own juice – 800 g
– sugar – 230 g
– honey – 30 g
– sesame seeds – 10 g
– pumpkin seeds – 10 g
– apple juice – 50 ml
– vinegar – 1 tbsp
– tomato paste – 1 tablespoon

Spices
– bay leaf
– allspice
– thyme
– cinnamon
– grain mustard
– cumin
– barberry
– hot red pepper
– coriander
– rosemary

– dried green ginger 9000

Diet against cholesterol

What is atherosclerosis and how is it dangerous

Today, cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of disability and death in people of working age.The most common cause of circulatory diseases is damage to the walls of blood vessels by atherosclerosis. With damage to the blood vessels of the heart, patients suffer from severe pain behind the sternum – angina pectoris, which often ends with myocardial infarction, that is, death of the heart muscle. Atherosclerosis can affect the blood vessels carrying blood to the brain, then disorders develop, up to a stroke – necrosis of brain tissue. With the defeat of the vessels carrying blood to the muscles of the legs, unbearable pain appears, a person cannot walk, and in the final stage gangrene develops.

There are two misconceptions about atherosclerosis. One thing – in younger people, that atherosclerosis is not coming soon. Another – in the elderly, that I still have atherosclerosis and it is useless to resist it.

Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases

The results of large scientific epidemiological programs that have examined hundreds of thousands of people and followed them for decades have proven the existence of factors that significantly increase the likelihood of developing diseases associated with atherosclerosis at any age.They are called risk factors.

The most dangerous are high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and smoking. As well as diabetes / high blood glucose and overweight – obesity. The action of one factor enhances the action of another, therefore their combination is especially dangerous. If you reduce the level of each risk factor, for example, blood cholesterol, blood pressure, overweight and quit smoking, then the overall likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases will be significantly reduced, and the development of atherosclerosis will slow down.Including by lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Two sides of the same cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is vital for humans. It is part of the membranes of all cells in the body, bile acids necessary for digestion, steroid hormones. There is a lot of cholesterol in the nervous tissue. More than enough cholesterol is produced in the liver for all this needs. But a person consumes it with food and often in excess.Fatty animal products are the main source of cholesterol. If there are a lot of them in the diet, and there are few cholesterol-free vegetable oils, grains, vegetables and fruits, then the content of cholesterol in the blood increases, and it turns from a friend necessary for the body into a mortal enemy.

What are lipoproteins

Not all blood cholesterol is equally dangerous, they speak of “good” and “bad” cholesterol. As a substance, cholesterol is the same, but is in the blood in different spherical particles – complexes with other fat and protein molecules, they are called lipoproteins.There are low density lipoproteins that carry cholesterol with the blood to peripheral tissues from the liver, where it is synthesized. If there are too many of these particles or their breakdown is disturbed, excess cholesterol accumulates in the blood, it is deposited in the walls of blood vessels, and connective (scar) tissue grows around its deposits. This forms an atherosclerotic plaque, which narrows the lumen of the vessel and impedes blood flow. Cholesterol in the composition of low density lipoproteins can be called “bad”.

Atherosclerotic plaques are different. The most malignant ones – with a large cholesterol nucleus and a thin cap of connective tissue – are called unstable. Such a plaque ruptures easily, opens up like an abscess into the lumen of the vessel. In response to this, the body tries to close the resulting damage with a blood clot. Often, a thrombus cannot stop growing and, like a plug, blocks the entire lumen of a vessel. The blood flow stops, and the organ tissue dies off without oxygen and nutrient supply.If this happens in the heart, then myocardial infarction develops, if in the brain – a stroke. High cholesterol levels, which are found in low-density lipoproteins, lead to such dangerous diseases. That is why it is called “bad”. In a detailed laboratory analysis of blood lipids (fats and fat-like substances), this indicator is abbreviated as LDL cholesterol. But there are also “good” lipid-protein complexes in the blood. They are called high density lipoproteins (HDL). HDL traps and removes cholesterol from the sites of its accumulation in the walls of blood vessels.By “cleansing” the blood vessels from excess cholesterol, HDL prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

The higher the level of LDL-C (“bad” cholesterol) in the blood and the lower the level of HDL-C (“good” cholesterol), the faster atherosclerosis will develop.

Cardiologists around the world believe that everyone over the age of 20 should know their cholesterol level. Moreover, it is necessary to do a blood test for “good” and “bad” cholesterol, ie. detailed analysis for lipids. An increase in blood cholesterol is dangerous as a factor contributing to the development of atherosclerosis and severe cardiovascular diseases.

How to lower the level of “bad” cholesterol

Blood cholesterol levels can be lowered. To do this, you should change your lifestyle:

• improve nutrition;
• quit smoking;
• move more.

Cholesterol Lowering Diet

• The basis of all cholesterol-lowering diets is reducing the consumption of saturated (solid) fats, especially of animal origin (fatty meat, offal, butter, fatty dairy products, pastries, etc.).) and replacing them with vegetable oils (sunflower, olive, corn).
• In moderate (limited) quantities, dairy products with a reduced fat content, low-fat cheeses (no more than 30% fat), lean meat, baked goods with vegetable fats, fried fish, fried potatoes only with vegetable fats are allowed.
• Eggs may only be eaten boiled or fried in vegetable oil (omelet).
• Use foods with reduced fat and cholesterol in your diet more often – wholemeal bread, whole grain breads, any cereals, pasta, low-fat dairy products, all kinds of vegetable dishes and fruits.
• Chicken, turkey and veal should be preferred from meat products. Remove fat and skin from poultry before cooking.
• Eat more fish, especially seafood, you can enter 2 fish days a week or eat one fish dish every day.
• Prefer desserts without fat, without cream, without sugar, preferably fruit.
• Regularly eat foods that lower cholesterol levels in the body and increase cholesterol excretion. They contain soluble fiber (pectin, psyllim, gluten) and, when cooked, form a jelly-like mass.These are oatmeal (rolled oats), apples, plums, various berries.
• Eat legumes (beans, peas) regularly.
• Avoid frying in butter and animal fat when cooking. Cook, simmer, bake more often. Use cookware with a special coating that does not require added fat for cooking.

Recommendations for choosing food:

Careful adherence to the diet can reduce blood cholesterol by 10-12%.Such a diet not only lowers the level of “bad” cholesterol, but also increases the level of “good” cholesterol. If adherence to the diet for 6-8 weeks does not lead to the desired decrease in the level of total blood cholesterol (less than 5 mmol / L) and LDL cholesterol (less than 3 mmol / L), and the risk of developing diseases caused by atherosclerosis remains high, then the doctor will recommend cholesterol-lowering medications. There are many such drugs now. The main thing is not to self-medicate after listening to advertisements about miraculous and safe food additives.Of the food additives, only those that contain known food components that affect cholesterol, such as soluble fiber preparations, can work. However, their effectiveness is no higher than a well-established diet, they only help its effect.

Of the medicines used to lower blood cholesterol levels, statins are the most commonly prescribed. These drugs, in normal doses, lower cholesterol by 20-40%. Scientific studies have shown that statins also alleviate the course of disease caused by atherosclerosis, reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease and reduce overall mortality.With the help of special studies of the vessels of the heart, it was shown that treatment with statins slows down the growth of atherosclerotic plaques and even causes them to decrease.

Smoking cessation

It has been proven that the active smoking of the smoker himself and the passive smoking of those around him increase the risk of developing many serious diseases, primarily oncological and cardiovascular diseases. Tobacco smoke contains a wide range of substances toxic to many organs and tissues (nicotine, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, carcinogenic substances).So, nicotine disrupts the tone of the vascular wall and contributes to its damage, spasms, aggravates the formation of blood clots in the blood vessels. Carbon monoxide, combining with hemoglobin, blocks the transfer of oxygen to organs and tissues. The components of tobacco smoke contribute to the development of arterial hypertension, a violation in the system of transfer of cholesterol to the vessel walls, aggravating the deposition of cholesterol in them. There is a high overall risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Adequate physical activity

Adequate physical activity is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle.The most affordable and fairly effective form of physical activity is brisk walking in the fresh air. You should do it 5 times a week, for 30–45 minutes (up to 2 hours). The heart rate should reach 65-70% of that which is achieved at the maximum load for a given age. The maximum heart rate for a particular person can be calculated using the formula: 220 – age in years . For example, for a practically healthy 50-year-old person, the maximum heart rate is 220–50 = 170 beats per minute, and the recommended heart rate during training is 110–120 beats per minute.

Many people do not have enough time to exercise, so every opportunity to move during and after the work day should be used. For example, it is advisable for sedentary workers to get up to make a phone call or throw the trash in the trash bin, walk the stairs instead of taking the elevator, hold a short meeting while standing, etc. The results of large studies have shown that the combination of regular physical activity with a decrease in periods of prolonged sedentary work due to short breaks makes a complementary significant contribution to the prevention of heart and vascular diseases.

In the presence of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, the physician selects the exercise regimen individually, strictly in accordance with the results of the electrocardiographic test with exercise.

THE FATE OF THE VEGETARIAN | Science and Life

The Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527 – 1593) is known for his original portraits of flowers, vegetables and fruits. This is probably what a real vegetarian should look like. Please note: if you turn the picture over, we will see everything.

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There have been many studies on the health effects of a vegetarian diet.It has been proven that vegetarians are less likely to suffer from hypertension and heart disease, they have less harmful cholesterol in their blood.

However, new studies have shown that a purely plant-based diet is often associated with depressed mood, depression and anxiety.

Psychologist Maryaana Lindeman from the University of Helsinki (Finland) studied the condition of more than 500 women aged 13 to 74 who do not accept meat food using questionnaires and psychological tests. The study had to be limited to the weaker sex because about 90 percent of vegetarians are women.It turned out that pessimistic moods, a feeling of loneliness, a gloomy outlook on life, and ideas about the “injustice” of the world prevail among the surveyed. Cases of insomnia and depression are not uncommon.

How to explain this connection? There may be some mood-enhancing substances in meat that vegetarians don’t get. According to German experts, it may be cholesterol. As Thomas Bronisch and Jürgen Brunner of the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry have shown, those with too little cholesterol in their blood are prone to impulsive, aggressive behavior.Moreover, this aggression is often directed at oneself, which can lead to suicide. Depression is also associated with low cholesterol levels. This is true both for people who have low blood cholesterol levels by nature, and for those who take special medications to lower it. It is known that cholesterol, deposited on the walls of blood vessels, leads to their narrowing. But it is also necessary for the synthesis of some important hormones and for the normal functioning of the nervous system.

There is almost no cholesterol in plant foods, so its content in the blood of vegetarians is 19 percent lower than that of people with a nutritious diet.

Other substances that are not found in plant foods are polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are found in large doses almost exclusively in fish. Fish oil appears to have antidepressant properties: a study from the University of the Finnish city of Kuopio found that those who eat fish at least once a week are less likely to suffer from blues. Experiments have shown that taking fish oil capsules can relieve symptoms of depression.

Finally, meat is an almost exclusive source of the amino acid tyrosine, which serves as raw material for the production of norepinephrine and dopamine, substances that maintain the tone of the nervous system.

Of course, another option is possible to explain the connection between a bad mood and a vegetarian diet: people who have a tendency to depression, for some reason, tend to refuse meat food.