What happens to cholesterol and blood cells when people eat healthy plant foods?
Effects of a diet high in plant sterols, vegetable proteins, and viscous fibers (dietary portfolio) on circulating sterol levels and red cell fragility in hypercholesterolemic subjects
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Red blood cell fragility did not change despite a 29% drop in LDL cholesterol
Some theories suggest that cholesterol is important for cell membrane integrity, so drastically lowering it might weaken red blood cells. This study found no such effect, which is reassuring and unexpected.
Practical Takeaways
Try a short-term diet rich in almonds, soy, viscous fiber (like oats or psyllium), and plant sterol-fortified foods to lower LDL cholesterol.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Red blood cell fragility did not change despite a 29% drop in LDL cholesterol
Some theories suggest that cholesterol is important for cell membrane integrity, so drastically lowering it might weaken red blood cells. This study found no such effect, which is reassuring and unexpected.
Practical Takeaways
Try a short-term diet rich in almonds, soy, viscous fiber (like oats or psyllium), and plant sterol-fortified foods to lower LDL cholesterol.
Publication
Journal
Lipids
Year
2005
Authors
Peter Jones, M. Raeini-Sarjaz, D. Jenkins, C. Kendall, E. Vidgen, E. Trautwein, K. Lapsley, A. Marchie, S. Cunnane, P. Connelly
Related Content
Claims (5)
Eating more plant sterols, soy, fiber-rich foods, and nuts can lower your 'bad' cholesterol by about 13% in six months — and sticking to the diet matters more than how much coaching you get.
People with high cholesterol who ate a special diet with plant-based foods like almonds and fiber saw their body levels of certain plant fats go up — but it’s not clear if the change was strong enough to mean anything for their health.
If you have high cholesterol and eat a special diet with foods like almonds, soy, and fiber, your 'bad' cholesterol goes down — but your red blood cells stay just as strong as before.
Eating a heart-healthy diet with plant sterols, soy, fiber, and almonds doesn't seem to change how fragile your red blood cells are, even though it affects cholesterol levels — meaning your blood cells stay just as stable.
Eating certain healthy foods like almonds, soy, and fiber every day for a month might lower bad cholesterol by almost a third—even if you're already eating pretty well.