cholesterol levels and poor glycemic control.^97 As a result, a 90% plant-based, nutrient-rich diet is
widely acknowledged as a primary way to prevent heart attacks and other coronary events.
In 2004, the INTERHEART study—which included 30,000 men and women from 52 countries—
showed that at least 90% of heart disease cases are related to lifestyle factors,^98 one of which was a
person's consumption (or lack) of fruits and vegetables. Daily consumption of fruits and vegetables
was shown to have cardio-protective effects.
Plant foods are naturally lower in calories (in most cases not all) and do not contain heart-disease-
promoting substances like cholesterol, saturated fat, oxidants, trans-fatty acids, arachidonic acid
and more. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans/legumes are also high in protective dietary
factors such as antioxidants, folate, fiber, saponins, flavonoids, carotenoids, isoflavones, and plant
sterols.
The more of these plant-based, nutrient-rich foods you add to your diet, the greater the benefits to
your heart and blood vessels. Lifelong vegetarians have been shown to have a 24% lower incidence
of coronary heart disease compared to people who eat meat, and lifelong vegans (people who also
do not eat eggs or dairy products) have a 57% lower risk.^99
Worldwide, one of the most important risk factors for a heart attack is high blood levels of
unhealthy fats. Too much cholesterol and too many triglycerides in the blood can clog the vessels
and lead to atherosclerosis. Since this excess cholesterol and fat mainly comes from a nutrient-poor
diet, consuming a 90% or More Plant-Based, Nutrient-Rich diet can help lower levels significantly.
In a 1997 study, healthy volunteers who consumed a vegetarian diet that was rich in low-calorie
vegetables, fruits, and nuts for just two weeks already showed improvements in their blood fats—
total cholesterol decreased by 25%, LDL cholesterol decreased by 33%, triglycerides decreased by
20% and the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio decreased by 21%.^100
(^97) Kennedy ET, Bowman SA, Spence JT, Freedman M, King J. Popular diets: correlation to health, nutrition, and obesity. J
Am Diet Assoc. 2001;101:411-420.
Appleby PN, Thorogood M, Mann JI, Key TJ. Low body mass index in non-meat eaters: the possible roles of animal fat,
dietary fibre and alcohol. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1998;22:454-460.
Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Hurlock D, Bertron P. Diet and sex-hormone binding globulin, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual
symptoms. Obstet Gynecol. 2000;95:245-250.
Nicholson AS, Sklar M, Barnard ND, Gore S, Sullivan R, Browning S. Toward improved management of NIDDM: a
randomized, controlled, pilot intervention using a lowfat, Vegetarian diet. Prev Med. 1999;29:87-91.
(^98) Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ounpuu S, et al. Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in
52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case-control study. Lancet. 2004;364(9438):937-952.
(^99) Thorogood M, Carter R, et al. Plasma lipids and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in people with different diets in
Britain. Br Med J. 1987;295:351-353.
(^100) Jenkins DJA, Popovich D, Kendall C, et al. Effect of a diet high in vegetables, fruit, and nuts on serum lipids. Metabolism.
1997;46:530-537.