EFFECT OF A DIET HIGH IN VEGETABLES, FRUIT, AND NUTS ON SERUM-LIPIDS

We assessed the effect of a diet high in leafy and green vegetables, f ruit, and nuts on serum lipid risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Ten healthy volunteers (Seven men and three women aged 33 +/- 4 years [mean +/- SEM]; body mass index, 23 +/- 1 kg/m(2)) consumed their hab itual diet (control diet, 29% +/- 2% fat calories) and a diet consisti ng largely of leafy and other tow-calorie vegetables, fruit, and nuts (vegetable diet, 25% +/- 3% fat calories) for two 2-week periods in a randomized crossover design. After 2 weeks on the vegetable diet, lipi d risk factors for cardiovascular disease were significantly reduced b y comparison with the control diet (low-density lipoprotein [LDL] chol esterol, 33% +/- 4%, P < .001; ratio of total to high-density lipoprot ein [HDL] cholesterol, 21% +/- 4%, P < .001; apolipoprotein [apo] B:A- I, 23% +/- 2%, P < .001; and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], 24% +/- 9%, P = .031). The reduction in apo B was related to increased intakes of solu ble fiber (r = .84, P = .003) and vegetable protein (r = -.65, P = .04 1). On the vegetable compared with the control diet, the reduction in total serum cholesterol was 34% to 49% greater than would be predicted by differences In dietary fat and cholesterol A diet consisting large ly of low-calorie vegetables and fruit and nuts markedly reduced lipid risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Several aspects of such diet s, which may have been consumed early in human evolution, have implica tions for cardiovascular disease prevention. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B . Saunders Company.