A
high-protein diet can be good for the heart
Newswise — Traditional high-protein diets are heart
killers, clogging the arteries with saturated fat
from meat, eggs, and cheese. But, according to a
report from Harvard Medical School, a large study
shows that there is such a thing as a heart-healthy
high-protein diet that can lower harmful LDL
cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
The diet described in Healthy Eating: A Guide to
the New Nutrition offers a healthful alternative
to the old-fashioned Atkins-style diets that ooze
artery-clogging saturated fat with every bite.
Instead, this eating plan, one of several studied in
the OmniHeart trial, includes high-protein foods
from both animal and plant sources that are lower in
saturated fat. Along with chicken and fish, dietary
sources of protein include nuts, beans, whole-grain
cereals, and fat-free dairy products.
A high-protein diet doesn’t have to be all steak and
eggs, according to Dr. Frank M. Sacks, the editor of
the report and Professor of Cardiovascular Disease
Prevention at Harvard Medical School. And not all
low-carb diets are the same. The most successful
diet plans of any type have certain elements in
common, including an emphasis on vegetables, fruits,
and whole grains.
Healthy Eating
is a 48-page report that includes a full discussion
of the latest scientific developments in the field
of nutrition. Diet influences your risk for many
diseases and conditions, including heart disease,
Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, eye
disease, and some forms of cancer. The report
includes information on what foods can help protect
you from certain diseases—or make you more prone to
them.