Eliminating Animal Fats Lowers Cholesterol

The obsession with finding drugs as an easy way to reduce cholesterol has obscured the simple fact that a well-balanced vegetarian or, more dramatically, a totally vegan diet, can reduce cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides by 20–30%, without the use of statins (C&EN, Feb. 20, page 13).

From my own experience and that of several of my colleagues (as well as some prominent people such as former president Bill Clinton), such drastic decreases in cholesterol levels have clearly demonstrated the benefits of eliminating animal-fat intake. Research over the years has clearly shown the correlation of Mediterranean and Asian diets with decreased cholesterol and other positive health benefits. What is also clear is that extrapolating these findings leads to the conclusion that zero animal fat equals significantly lower cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides.

Even though such diets sometimes require changes in lifestyle that many people are not willing to make, the changes are comparatively minor to those brought on by chronic heart disease, ill health, and death.

By Samuel Kounaves
Medford, Mass.