Two new studies from Unity Health Toronto and the University of Toronto highlight the heart health benefits of the plant-based Portfolio Diet. The research suggests the diet can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, benefiting people across various demographic groups.
The first study, published in BMC Medicine, analyzed data from nearly 15,000 Americans. It found that those who followed the Portfolio Diet had a significantly lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, and all causes. This is the first research to link the diet—created in 2003 by Professor David Jenkins at the University of Toronto—with reduced mortality rates.
Meaghan Kavanagh, the study’s lead author and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Toronto, emphasizes that even small changes can make a difference. “Adding an ounce of nuts or half a cup of cooked beans can have benefits,” Kavanagh said. “You don’t need to follow the diet strictly to see positive results.”
The Portfolio Diet includes foods like:
- Nuts
- Plant-based proteins (e.g., beans or tofu)
- Viscous fiber (found in foods like apples and oatmeal)
- Foods rich in phytosterols and monounsaturated fatty acids (e.g., enriched margarine or oils)
On the other hand, foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol deduct points.
Participants who adhered closely to the diet saw improvements in risk factors such as blood lipids, inflammation, and blood sugar. They had a 16% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and an 18% lower risk of coronary heart disease, as well as a 14% reduction in all-cause mortality. Even those who moderately followed the diet had notable benefits, including a 12% reduction in cardiovascular risk and 12% fewer deaths from all causes.
The study was led by John Sievenpiper, a staff physician at St. Michael’s Hospital, and a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto. It used data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and included populations not previously represented in Portfolio Diet research.
Kavanagh, who spent three months at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta as part of the study, explains that previous research may have missed some details. “We were able to capture a more nuanced picture of people’s eating habits, like identifying which fats they were using in cooking,” she said.
Benefits for Younger Populations
The second study, published in BMC Public Health, shifts focus to younger adults. This research, conducted on about 1,500 ethnoculturally diverse people in their 20s, explored how the Portfolio Diet affects healthier, lower-risk individuals. The data was drawn from the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health Study.
Lead author Victoria Chen, who recently completed her master’s degree in nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, explains that the study aimed to understand how these dietary patterns influence younger populations. Even in this low-risk group, higher adherence to the diet was linked to lower LDL cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk factors, including total cholesterol and blood pressure.
Chen suggests that adopting these eating habits early on can help reduce lifetime exposure to LDL cholesterol and delay the onset of cardiovascular disease risk.
“Our research shows that following the Portfolio Diet could delay the rise in cardiovascular disease risk by six years if followed 50% of the time starting in young adulthood, and by up to 13 years with full adherence,” Chen said.
This study highlights the importance of dietary interventions in young adulthood, a time when life transitions—like moving away from home or finishing school—can negatively affect diet quality. “We found that easy-to-grab foods like nuts, fruits, and berries were already part of their habits,” Chen added. “Incorporating these foods can set the stage for better long-term health.”
Both studies underline the importance of the Portfolio Diet for maintaining heart health and offer practical suggestions for making heart-healthy dietary changes at any age.
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