Cholesterol Lowering 'Medi-Port' Diet

What is the 'Medi-Port' Diet?

A combination diet of the Mediterranean and Portfolio diet. Both dietary lifestyles have been extensively researched in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and improving cardiometabolic biomarkers such as LDL-C (cholesterol) and triglycerides.

As the title indicates, the Portfolio Diet is a “portfolio” of plant foods that you can choose from. By incorporating plant sterols from fortified foods, soy products, fruits and vegetables, this simply blocks the absorption of cholesterol from foods in the digestive tract. The Mediterranean diet consists of healthy fats, fibre and anti-inflammatory foods that help rebalance our lipid profile, bind to cholesterol and excrete it from the body, and reduce inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease.

Try including:

Nuts 1 palm size (30- 45g per day)

• Walnuts

• Almonds

• Macadamia

• Cashews

• Pinenuts

• Hazelnuts

Plant Protein (at least 1 serve per day)

• Soy protein powder (20 grams)

• Tofu (150g)

• Tempeh (150g)

• Soy milk/yogurts (1 cup)

• Edamame (1/2 cup)

• Soy cheese

• Legumes: lentils, black, navy, edamame, Chickpeas, kidney, lima beans (1/2 cup)

Soluble Fibre (2 servings per day)

• Legumes: black, navy, edamame, chickpeas, lentils, kidney lima beans (1/2 cup)

• Oats (1/2 cup)

• Broccoli and Brussel sprouts (1 cup)

• Eggplant (1 cup)

• Sweet potato (1 small, ½ cup)

• Chia seeds (1 tablespoon)

• Whole wheat breads (rye, oatcakes, spelt, wholegrain) (2 slices)

• Avocado (1/4 whole avocado)

• Apples and other fruits (1 whole fruit)

Plant Sterols (2g per day) Look for ‘Plant Sterol Esters’ in fortified foods Plant sterols naturally occur in soybeans, corn, broccoli, squash etc. however, to get the required 2g, you will need to incorporate plant sterol fortified foods such as:

• Carman's cholesterol-lowering oats (2g plant sterol per serve)

• Australia’s Own Dairy milk

• ProActiv spread

Healthy Fats

• Oily fish: Salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring (SMASH) 100g per serve

• Avocado

• Hemp and chia seeds

• Flax seed meal (ground)

• Walnuts

Fruits and Vegetables

• Include 2-3 servings (1 whole fruit) each day

• Include 5 servings per day (1 cup of salad, ½ cup cooked)

• Leafy greens are a great option but look at including wide varieties and colour.