First I would like to say thanks to my wife Kate - and to Maria Micallef from SLM. I must say are both are in the ‘middle of the road’ when it comes to diet, each takes a moderate approach, whereas I am ‘in your face’ sometimes - I say that with a smile.
They have both made me realise that people love a fad or gimmick when to comes to health – or as they call it in TV magazine land ‘weight loss’, so hey, let’s get on board.
So what if there was a combination of foods that was as effective at lowering LDL cholesterol as prescription drugs? Would it be worth adding some new foods to what you eat each day to avoid medication? I have come across a study about a new diet plan known as the Portfolio Diet. It’s really the same plan as I use for all my clients. It shows that various foods, such as nuts, soy protein, oat bran, and plant sterols all can have a cholesterol-lowering effect.
This is what the latest in a series of research studies that Dr. Jenkins from the University of Toronto shows. Studies have previously shown that various foods, such as nuts, soy protein, oat bran, and plant sterols all can have a cholesterol-lowering effect. But what if you combined all these foods together? Dr. Jenkins’ latest research shows that combining all these foods together is as effective as taking a statin drug. The results showed a 30.9% decrease in LDL cholesterol from the statin and a decrease of 28.2% from the portfolio combination of all these foods.
Dr. Jenkins is calling this a dietary portfolio, but it’s becoming known as ‘The Portfolio Diet’. The concept is to add all of these foods, in a type of portfolio plan, like investments, to cover all possibilities for better heart health.
As to my plan - the Transformation Plan - I hate the word diet but I guess let go along with it. My ‘diet’ is not intended to be a weight loss diet, although the concepts for weight loss and lowered cholesterol could certainly be combined, with proper education and guidance by a qualified nutrition expert.
What is the Portfolio Diet?
Just follow these guidelines:
1. Substitute soy foods for meat. Drink soy milk instead of milk and substitute soy protein foods for other meats.
2. Eat as much ‘sticky’ fibre as possible. People in the study took three daily servings of natural psyllium supplements. Oats and barley replace other grains and preferred vegetables include eggplant and okra. In the Transformation Diet I would like to see potato added as well
3. Include plant sterol-enriched margarines. Plant sterols are also available in capsule form as dietary supplements. I am not a great fan but again, fads.
4. A handful of nuts every day. In the study, almonds were eaten and the Almond Board of California offers Portfolio Diet recipes on its website (look at recipes on http://www.almondboard.com/), but any tree nut will reduce cholesterol. Again, you need to pay attention to the amount. One person’s hand full differs from the next.
Here are some examples of a typical day:
Breakfast – Include soy milk in your portfolio diet, oat bran cereal with chopped fruit and almonds, oatmeal bread with sterol-enriched margarine, and some jam.
Lunch – Soy lunch meats, oat bran bread, bean soup, fruit.
Dinner – Stir fry with vegetables, tofu, fruit and almonds.
Snacks – Include nuts, yogurt, and soy milk thickened with a psyllium supplement such as Metamucil.
Has the Portfolio Diet shown to be effective?
Jenkins et al were curious how the Portfolio Diet would work in the real world, so they signed people up who said they wanted to lower their cholesterol levels. They told them what to eat and gave them sample menus -- but they didn't provide any prepared foods.
Dr. Jenkins said that about 30% of the people had a 20% reduction in their LDL cholesterol levels after six months. Another 30% had a 15% reduction in LDL levels, and another third failed to lower their cholesterol levels, believed to be because they were unable to follow the diet as strictly as those with good results. What seemed to be the biggest obstacle for people was eating soy food products. Dr. Jenkins said that most people could eat almonds and substitute plant sterol products for margarine. This is the real world, I guess, and I have shown that the small use of avocado can impact just as much if not even more.
Is the Portfolio Diet for you?
Many people are concerned about heart disease and stroke, especially if they are struggling with weight control and high blood cholesterol levels. However, many people are not comfortable going on prescription medications. Since this is an eating plan that does not eliminate food groups or follow some type of fad, there is no risk to going on this ‘diet’. In fact, it’s not really a ‘diet’ at all, but a way of eating. And no one has to do anything but substitute some of the recommended foods for foods they normally eat today.
So, let’s say you would like to try the diet, but, like many other Australians, are concerned about adding soy foods to your diet. You have never eaten them and don’t even know where to find them! Well, they are actually in your favorite supermarket already! It may be time to experiment, though, because not everyone is going to like all the soy foods that are available. Here is a list of foods to consider:
Soy milk. There are multiple brands and different fat levels. You can buy whole fat, low fat and non fat. You can buy ‘regular’ (no flavoring), or any number of flavors. I have personally found one brand that I like over others and you may have to experiment to find one you like, as well.
Edamame. These are frozen whole soybeans that are harvested when still green. They can be found in most health food stores, such as Trader Joes or Whole Foods Market, in the frozen food section, usually next to the lima beans. These can be found shelled or in the shell. You can add them to soups or stews or eat them by themselves. I like to eat them as my protein for breakfast.
Tofu. Tofu is a soft, cheese-like food made my curdling soymilk. The curds are then pressed into a solid block. There are different levels of firmness; silken, soft and firm. Silken is a creamy, custard-like product that works well with pureed or blended dishes. Soft tofu is best used in recipes that call for blended tofu, or in soups. The firm tofu is more dense and solid and holds up well in stir fry dishes, even on the grill. The firm tofu is higher in protein, fat and calcium than the other forms, but since this is a plant fat, this should not be an issue. For recipe ideas, see this link from the Indiana Soybean Board; http://www.soyfoods.com/soyfoodsdescriptions/tofu.html
Textured Vegetable (or Soy) Protein Products. This is the soy food product that many soy burgers and other ‘meat substitute’ products contain. The best way to determine if these foods are for you are to experiment with a few options.
Miso. Miso is a rich, salty paste condiment that characterizes the essence of Japanese cooking. Traditionally, miso is made by combining with a grain, salt, and a mould culture and then aged in cedar vats for one to three years. Readers may recognize the name because this is a popular soup.
Soy nuts. Soy nuts are whole soybeans that have been soaked then baked. They can be found in snack isles and manufacturers now include soynuts in any number of coatings, including chocolate.
Tempeh. This is a traditional Indonesian food that is most commonly found in Asian stores. It is a chunky, tender soybean cake. It can be marinated and grilled or added to soups, casseroles, or even chili.
It can be very easy for some people to add nuts to their diet. In fact, it may be harder to not add too MANY nuts! It may also be ‘doable’ to add more sticky fibre to your diet, also, with a little planning. However, it may be a greater challenge to find soy foods that can be enjoyably substituted for meats you are used to eating. However, if your health depends on it, and you refuse medications, this may be a great thing to try, especially since there are no risks involved with adding these foods to your diet. Just remember that these are foods to be substituted, not added, to the diet. Since calories do also still count, adding extras to your current diet could result in weight gain, leading to new concerns.
With the Transformation Diet I can help you overcome the confusion and frustration you may feel when trying to add healthy eating and fitness into your busy life. I can offer a weekly skype session over a 12-week series. I also see clients in my city office located in Macquarie St which covers all aspects of health each week, also over a 12 week series. I am a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Life Coach. So as far as I am concerned this is not a fad or a gimmick its real and it works.
