Eat for your heart, without giving up flavor.

What Is the Portfolio Diet?

The Portfolio Diet is a plant-based eating pattern developed by researchers at the University of Toronto. It combines specific foods that are each proven to lower cholesterol. When eaten together as a "portfolio" (like a financial portfolio), these foods work through different mechanisms to produce a powerful combined effect on heart health.

In clinical studies, the Portfolio Diet has been shown to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol by up to 30% in controlled settings — a reduction comparable to some cholesterol-lowering medications. In everyday life, reductions of 13–17% are more typical, which is still a meaningful improvement.

The Five Pillars of the Portfolio Diet

The Portfolio Diet is built on five key food groups. For best results, try to include foods from all five groups every day.

1. Nuts (about 45 g or a handful per day)
   • Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios, cashews, pecans
   • Can be eaten as snacks, added to salads, oatmeal, or stir-fries
   • Choose unsalted varieties when possible
2. Plant Protein (about 50 g per day)
   • Soy foods: tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, soy-based meat alternatives
   • Pulses/legumes: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, split peas
   • Use these as your main protein source in place of red meat and poultry
3. Viscous (Soluble) Fiber (about 20 g per day)
   • Oats and oat bran (beta-glucan fiber)
   • Barley
   • Psyllium husk (can be added to smoothies or water)
   • Eggplant, okra
   • Apples, oranges, pears, berries
   • Beans and lentils (these count toward both plant protein and fiber)
4. Plant Sterols (about 2 g per day)
   • Found naturally in small amounts in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains
   • To reach the recommended 2 g/day, most people use plant sterol-enriched products such as:
   • Sterol-enriched margarine or spreads (e.g., Becel pro.activ, Benecol)
   • Sterol-enriched orange juice or yogurt
   • Check labels for "plant sterols" or "phytosterols"
5. Healthy Plant Fats — Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (about 45 g per day)
   • Olive oil and canola oil
   • Avocados
   • Nuts and seeds (also count toward the nut pillar)
   • Use these fats in place of butter, lard, and other saturated fats

What to Limit

The Portfolio Diet also emphasizes reducing foods high in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol:

• Red meat, processed meats (bacon, sausage, deli meats)
• Butter, cream, full-fat cheese
• Coconut oil and palm oil
• Fried foods and baked goods made with saturated fats

Health Benefits

Research involving hundreds of thousands of people has shown that following the Portfolio Diet is associated with:

• Lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol — the primary benefit
• Lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation)
• Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure
• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease

A Sample Day on the Portfolio Diet

Practical Tips for Getting Started

• Start gradually. Pick one or two pillars to focus on first, then add more over time.
• Swap, don't just add. Replace meat with beans, lentils, or tofu rather than simply adding more food.
• Keep nuts handy. Pre-portion a daily handful of unsalted nuts for easy snacking.
• Make oats a habit. A bowl of oatmeal or overnight oats is one of the easiest ways to get viscous fiber.
• Read labels. Look for plant sterol-enriched products at the grocery store.
• Cook in batches. Prepare large pots of lentil soup, bean chili, or chickpea curry to have ready-made meals throughout the week.
• Use psyllium. If reaching 20 g of viscous fiber from food alone is difficult, psyllium husk supplements can help bridge the gap.

Important Notes