Veggies Vs Cholesterol

There's more to lowering your cholesterol than simply eating a low-fat diet. While fat-free milk and skinless chicken help, the best way to go is by loading up on vegetables and other nutritious, fat-free fare.

Researchers compared two low-fat diets, one plant-based and one consisting of foods more typical of the American diet. Those on the plant-based diet had twice the reductions in both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol that has been linked to cardiovascular disease, as those on the basic low-fat diet.

This research points out the problem with most American diets, scientists say. Simply going "low-fat" is not enough in the fight against cholesterol and other diet-linked health problems. The better choice is to begin moving away from animal-based foods such as meat and dairy products and toward a plant-based diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and legumes.

The health benefits, nutritionists say, come from the combination of natural cholesterol-fighters found in plant-based foods, including fiber and plant sterols.

Afraid you won't enjoy a diet of veggie burgers and cheeseless pizza? So did those subjects assigned to veggie diets in the study. But the researchers report that in the end, both groups gave high ratings to their diets