You’ve likely heard of high cholesterol—a health issue that 86 million Americans over 20 deal with, raising their risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke. And while 47 million people opt to lower their cholesterol by taking a class of drugs called statins (one of which is the most-prescribed drug in the nation), going this route can be a complicated choice due to the possible side effects, which can range from muscle pain to liver damage and increased blood sugar.
Luckily, it is possible to lower cholesterol levels naturally, with dietary changes. And eating plant-based foods that are rich in fiber and healthy fats through what’s long been known as the portfolio diet is one excellent approach. In fact, sticking close to the diet has recently been shown, in a large-scale, long-term (30-year) cohort study published last year in the journal Circulation, to lower heart disease risk by 14%.
