Plant protein helps to reduce cholesterol

Swapping 1-2 daily servings of animal protein with plant protein helps to reduce the 3 main cholesterol markers for cardiovascular disease.  A systematic review and meta-analysis of 112 randomized control trials found that replacing servings of animal protein with protein from lentils, chickpeas, beans, dried peas, soy and nuts for at least 3 weeks reduced the 3 main cholesterol markers by around 5%.

The study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Diet, Digestive Tract and Disease Centre.  The lead author of the study, Dr John Sievenpiper said “The health benefits could be even greater if people combined plant proteins and other cholesterol lowering foods such as viscous water soluble fibres from oats, barley and psyllium and plant steroids.”