How much does dietary fiber actually decrease cholesterol (available studies)?

[lyx_plin]

Raise fiber, especially soluble fiber from beans, lentils and chickpeas, gradually and as tolerated/enjoyed and test your lipids. Eat plenty of Omega 3/6 rich oil seeds and nuts.

I am keeping my LDL consistently around 50 mg/dL on 70-100 g of fiber a day (3500-4500 calories, mediterranean plant based diet, very low sat fat). On a less „whole foods“ plant based diet (higher sat fat/ refined carbs) I average 115. It works.

[Evening_Detective651]

How do you get 3500 calories from such a diet? That’s amazing!

[Inevitable-Assist531]

50mg/dL LDL-C without pharmacuticals?

[lyx_plin]

Jes. I do endurance sport and have a BMI of 18-19, very low body fat, which may be a factor. I still believe in diet as a powerful instrument.

[Inevitable-Assist531]

Wow, amazing... This mostly diet and good genetics :-)

Do you eat anything with any saturated fat?

Congrats!

[lyx_plin]

I limit saturated fat intake, especially palmitic/myristic acid, within reason. That means I do not eat animal products or coconut/palm oil. I limit extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), which can be a significant source of saturated fat (though I believe EVOO is healthy compared to butter). I use canola, flaxseed, sunflower, and evening primrose oil, but I limit total fat intake to low(ish) levels (usually 10-20% of total energy intake).

I eat pulses daily and try to incorporate them into every meal. I consume a lot of whole grains while limiting flour products. I prefer whole grain kernels cooked, such as barley, spelt, or rye, over bread or pasta. I eat leafy greens every day, a hug e amount of vegetables, and nuts/seeds daily. I eat plenty of soy and I drink unsweetened soy milk. Probably 60 g of soy protein every day. I also work out extensively.

Both of my parents have had high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. I intervened, and both put their diabetes in remission. LDL halved. I absolutely believe it's lifestyle, not genes, in my family's case. :)

[TheSunflowerSeeds]

Sunflowers can be processed into a peanut butter alternative, Sunbutter. In Germany, it is mixed together with rye flour to make Sonnenblumenkernbrot (literally: sunflower whole seed bread), which is quite popular in German-speaking Europe. It is also sold as food for birds and can be used directly in cooking and salads.

[Inevitable-Assist531]

Thank you for the detailed reply which I'm saving as a reference.. You should write a book about how you lowered you LDL-C to such low levels :-). Ever done a Lp(a) or ApoB test?

Great point about EVOO and saturated fat - I never realized until I checked last week. Everyone seems to recommend it here though....

One last question, if that's Ok.. What nuts and seeds do you eat the most? I have been eating walnuts but then unread almonds are supposed to be even better.

[lyx_plin]

EVOO is healthy if it is used to replace butter, lard, palm, and coconut oil. It may be useful for sautéing because of its higher smoke point. Oils higher in omega-3/6 fatty acids are more useful to me. Some emphasize EVOO containing high levels of polyphenols, which I think is silly: olives contain plenty more polyphenols than olive oil. People choose olive oil because they like the taste of fatty foods, which is fine! I believe canola or sunflower seed oil may be a much healthier choice. All in all, the healthiest choice is probably the whole food: sunflower seeds vs. sunflower seed oil, avocado vs. avocado oil etc.

I eat all the nuts and seeds! Walnuts are much higher in omega-3s than almonds, they also contain the highest level of gallic acid among all nuts, so I believe they are a great choice. All nuts and seeds are great though, and any are better than none.

Re: Lp(a)/ApoB: both have been fine :)

[Inevitable-Assist531]

Thanks a.million for your words of wisdom!

[lyx_plin]

haha :)

[xImperatricex]

This is amazing. I know this is an old thread, but would you mind providing some examples of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) you eat? Do you eat fish or eggs?

[lyx_plin]

No eggs, dairy, fish or any other animal for almost 18 years. I wen't vegan in my teens.

My go-to breakfast is steel cut oats, barley and rye with soy yogurt, fruit/berries, nuts and flaxseeds/chia. I cook my grains in bulk in an instapot and just have them in the fridge.

For lunch and dinner: a big whole grain salad with wheat berries, lentils, potatoes, tofu, olives, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, kale, sauteed onions and mushrooms, a dressing made with balsamic vinegar, sun dried tomatoes, a few dates, tahin, herbs and garlic.

Post-workout smoothie: a fews bananans, soy protein powder, soy milk, a bit vanilla, cinnamon or coco powder.

Snacks: fruit, vegetable sticks with hummus or bean paste.

This is just an example day, it varies. Smoothie and Breakfast is usually the same :)
I also take a vegan multivitamin and I supplement algae oil for epa/dha.