By Admin 
In today’s busy life, people often eat such food which instead of providing necessary nutrition to our body, causes harm, especially to the heart, high cholesterol, unbalanced diet, stress and less physical activity together become the major causes of heart diseases. In such a situation, many people resort to medicines, while many people want to reduce cholesterol through natural methods.
Keeping this need in mind, scientists developed a special type of diet pattern. Which is portfolio diet. This is not a normal diet, but a combination of foods that together reduce your LDL i.e. bad cholesterol in a natural way. So today let us tell you what this portfolio diet is and how it works and why doctors consider it very beneficial for heart health.
What is the Portfolio Diet?
The Portfolio Diet is a plant-based eating plan created by Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto. Its aim is to reduce bad LDL cholesterol in the body just by eating daily without any medicines. Four main food groups are included in this diet, which individually reduce cholesterol, but when eaten together, they show the same effect as drugs like statins.
Which 4 essential food groups are included in this diet?
1. Plant Sterols – These are plant elements that prevent cholesterol from being absorbed in the intestines. These sterol-rich margarines, spreads, sterol-rich yogurt drinks, and orange juice
2. Gel Type Fiber – This fiber becomes gel-like in the intestine and helps in removing cholesterol from the body. Oats, barley, apples, pears, berries, beans, pulses, okra and psyllium
3. Soy Protein –It helps the liver to activate the receptors that remove LDL more. Veggie Burgers with Tofu, Soy Milk, Edamame, Soy
4. Nuts – Monounsaturated fats present in dry fruits increase HDL and reduce LDL. Almonds, walnuts and pistachios.
How does this diet work in the body?
Portfolio diet reduces cholesterol in many ways. Plant sterols can reduce cholesterol absorption by about 50 percent. Viscous fiber binds cholesterol and removes it from the body. Soy protein activates LDL removal receptors in the liver. Nuts increase HDL and reduce LDL. The mixture of these four has an effect on the body like a natural medicine.
Why doctors consider it very beneficial for heart health
Studies have found that this diet can reduce LDL by 13 percent to 30 percent. Those who followed the diet for six months reported a 13.8 percent LDL reduction, which is similar to statin drugs. Those who adopted it for a long time, it reduced triglycerides, reduced inflammation and improved blood pressure. In a study of 2 lakh people followed for 30 years, those who had the best portfolio diet score had a 14 percent lower risk of heart disease and stroke. This diet was found to reduce the risk of heart attack by 17 percent in post-menopausal women. A 2025 study of 439 patients found that this diet effectively reduced cholesterol and heart risk for 10 years.
Also read: Peels are more beneficial than oranges, definitely know its superhealthy benefits
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