The Portfolio Diet for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction

The Portfolio Diet for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction: An Evidence Based Approach to Lower Cholesterol through Plant Food Consumption examines the science of this recommended dietary approach to reduce cholesterol in addition to other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. With a thorough examination into the scientific rationale for the use of this diet, discussions are included on the experimental findings both for the diet as a whole, and its four principle food components: nuts and seeds, plant based protein, viscous fibers, and plant-sterol-enriched foods. Environmental and ethical considerations of the diet are also discussed, showing the ramifications of food choice on health and beyond. Referenced with data from the latest relevant publications and enhanced with practical details (including tips, dishes, and menus), the reader is enabled to meet the goals of cholesterol lowering and cardiovascular disease risk reduction while also taking the health of the planet into consideration.

• Provides the scientific basis for the selection of the foods included in the Dietary Portfolio and the experimental evidence demonstrating cholesterol lowering and cardiovascular risk factor reduction
• Provides an understanding of the current guidelines for lowering cholesterol and other risk factors of cardiovascular disease, explaining how the Dietary Portfolio effects these components and compares to other diet based approaches
• Provides a holistic view of the Dietary Portfolio by investigating issues of sustainability and ethics in the food system
• Allows readers to acquire the skills to successfully construct a potent cholesterol-lowering diet
• Includes tips, recipes and meal planning aids

Wendy Jenkins, BSc, and MSc candidate, has worked extensively to merge the fields of nutrition and environmental science. She has done this primarily through her study of the interaction between diet, health and environmental sustainability. Her work has led her to the promotion of plant based foods in both an academic setting and through recipe development. In her previous studies at the University of Guelph in the Environmental Biology honors program in Canada and her current postgraduate studies in nutrition at Wageningen University, The Netherlands, she has worked with the aim of maximizing both health and sustainability of dietary decisions. She has also worked under the guidance of chef Sara Harrel, owner of Veg Company and developer of the certificate in Vegetarian Culinary Arts at George Brown College Centre for Culinary Arts, Toronto, Canada. Through this work Wendy has been able to further develop her skills in plant based cuisine and recipe development, providing the tools to create healthy, sustainable and enjoyable food.