A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (Aug.24/31, 2011) found that a vegetarian diet emphasizing a “portfolio” of cholesterol-lowering foods did a better job of reducing low-density lipoprotein — the so-called “bad” cholesterol — than a low-saturated-fat vegetarian diet. All participants in the study followed a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Those in the portfolio group were told to emphasize four specific types of cholesterol-lowering foods in their diets — soluble fiber, nuts, soy protein, and margarines enriched with plant sterols — while those in the low-saturated fat group were told to avoid these foods.

For someone eating 2,000 calories per day, a portfolio diet would aim to provide the following amounts of these cholesterol-lowering foods:

• Soluble fiber: 18 grams per day of fiber from foods such as oatmeal, oat bran, barley, peas, beans, lentils, psyllium, and vegetables such as okra and eggplant

• Nuts: one ounce, or about one handful, per day

• Soy protein: 42.8 grams per day from soy-based foods such as soy milk, tofu, and soy meat substitutes (four ounces of tofu contains 9.4 grams of soy protein; eight ounces of regular soy milk contains six grams of soy protein)

• Plant-sterol-enriched margarine: 1.8 grams per day (1 to 2 tablespoons, depending on the product; see the chart “Foods fortified with plant sterols” for more information)

Below is a representative diet followed by participants in the portfolio group:

• Breakfast: Hot oat bran cereal, soy beverage, strawberries, sugar, psyllium, oat bran bread, plant-sterol-enriched margarine, jam

• Snack: Almonds, soy beverage, fresh fruit

• Lunch: Black bean soup, sandwich made from soy deli slices, oat bran bread, plant-sterol-enriched margarine, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber

• Snack: Almonds, psyllium, fresh fruit

• Dinner: Tofu (baked with eggplant, onions, and sweet peppers), pearled barley, vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)

• Snack: Fresh fruit, psyllium, soy beverage

(Source: jama.ama-assn.org/content/306/8/831/suppl/DC1)