Consuming fruits and vegetables is a key pathway to good health. And according to a new study in Denmark, there's a particular benefit for anyone diagnosed with high cholesterol.
The researchers looked at levels of LDL, or low-density lipoproteins — often called "bad" cholesterol because a build-up can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. In study participants, LDL levels dropped 10% and total cholesterol dropped 7% for people following a plant-based diet compared to those eating meat and plants, the study found.
"This corresponds to one-third the effect of taking cholesterol-lowering medications such as statins, and resulted in a 7% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease in someone who followed a plant-based diet for five years," said the lead author. Dr. Ruth Frikke-Schmidt, professor of clinical biochemistry in Copenhagen, Denmark.
