A story I wrote about the plant-based Portfolio Diet, and an interview with the MD, PhD doc who developed it. The story is password protected but available to #doctors and #pharmacists in #Canada. Here are a few sections:

WHAT IS THE PORTFOLIO DIET?
By me
#Plantbased diets have become increasingly popular in Canada, and are likely here to stay.

In fact, a report from Global Data stated that in the U.S. the number of people following a #vegan diet increased 600% from 2014 to 2018. The numbers are likely similar in Canada. Plus, there are ever-increasing offerings ranging from plant-based cold-cuts and burgers, and mock cheese and hamburger.

Globally and historically, plant-based diets have been common (historical examples)...

In recent decades, numerous studies have shown that plant-based diets are beneficial to health by helping improve #metabolic profiles, weight loss and control, and insulin sensitivity.

But "plant-based" has several interpretations, with some diets allowing for small amounts of fish, chicken or including dairy. A #vegan diet doesn’t allow for any type of meat or dairy. What they have in common is an emphasis on increased vegetables, legumes and fibre.

Keeping an eye on vitamin B12 levels with these diets is important, and some people may need supplements. Many plant-based products have things such as B vitamins and calcium added to them.

Aside from #health, there are other factors attracting people, especially younger adults, to plant-based diets...a distaste for killing animals, the lower environmental and carbon footprint...

Dr. Jenkins, a professor of #medicine and #nutrition science at the University of Toronto, is no stranger to plant-based foods and diets. As a nutrition scientist and physician, he began studying the effects of dietary fibre on diabetes and hyperlipidemia back in the 1970s. The work has evolved significantly in over several decades.

“We found that dietary fibre lowers #cholesterol a little. Then we did work with vegetable proteins, soy and lentils, and showed they lowered cholesterol a little too. We also showed that planet sterols had the same effect,” he told the Medical Post.

Then there was the eureka moment... combining the foods in a dietary plan to see if it would have a bigger, actual therapeutic effect...

The Portfolio Diet debuted in 2003 when Dr. Jenkins published a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The study was of subjects with elevated cholesterol who were randomized into one of three dietary interventions, including one group taking statins. Cholesterol levels were measured before and after.

People whose diet was heavy in cholesterol-lowering foods and low in meats and ‘bad’ fats such as trans fats had a significant improvement. “The LDL-cholesterol levels in participants who weren’t on #statins dropped almost as much as they would've had they been taking statins when all foods were provided...

The key foods that help lower cholesterol are soy, nuts, various beans, grains such as oats and barley, and canola and olive oil. While upping these foods in your diet is a great idea in general, they won't lower cholesterol unless you decrease your intake of cholesterol-raising foods, Dr. Jenkins said.

That means eating a handful of nuts with a roast beef sandwich won't help... Foods that raise cholesterol include trans fats and meats high in saturated fats

Recent studies show the benefits of sticking to the Portfolio Diet don’t wane over time. A study in Circulation in 2023 showed that people who followed the diet long-term had lower risks of #cardiovascular disease, including coronary #heart disease and stroke, and more favorable blood lipid and inflammatory profiles. The study had up to 30-years worth of follow-up and included three large cohorts totaling close to 200,000 people.

How does the Portfolio Diet work?..
The therapeutic goal of the diet is to lower cholesterol and thus includes various plant-based foods known to lower LDL-cholesterol. Eating these foods in combination brings together different mechanisms and provides the most benefit. People can select food from a ‘portfolio’ list of foods.

Soluble fibre. These foods contain ‘sticky fibres’ which help remove cholesterol from the body... This category includes foods such as include oats, barley, beans, lentils, and certain fruits and vegetables.

Plant sterols and stanols. These are compounds which occur in nuts and seeds. Having a similar structure to cholesterol, they compete with it for absorption in the digestive tract thus reducing overall cholesterol absorption.

Nuts. They contain heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as fibre and plant sterols.

Soy protein. A good protein source that is low in saturated fat and contributes to lowering LDL cholesterol.

Plant oils. These contain monounsaturated fatty acid oils. Extra virgin olive oil is an example...

@medmastodon #MedMastodon https://www.canadianhealthcarenetwork.ca/what-portfolio-diet