A diet based around plants, nuts and high-fiber grains lowered “bad” cholesterol more than a low-saturated-fat diet that was also vegetarian, researchers reported on Tuesday. And the drop in low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, was big enough that dietary changes could be an alternative to statin medications for many people, they said. “There’s no question that statins have made a major difference in terms of cardiovascular disease control,” said study author Dr. David Jenkins, from the University of Toronto. But at least for now, he added, “we can only get so far with statins.”
