By Jimmy Downs

Saturday Oct 27, 2012 (Foodconsumer.org) --- A plant-based diet with low fat and low sugar can help prevent or even reverse your coronary artery disease or otherwise known as coronary heart disease, a major type of heart disease that is the number one killer in the United States. 

Studies have identified many dietary components or nutrients that may potentially affect the risk of heart disease. They are coffee, dietary fiber, fruit and vegetables, flavonoids, iron, legumes, magnesium, moderate alcohol consumption, nuts, omega-3 fatty acids, phytosterols, resveratrol, vitamin C and whole grains.

Coffee

Coffee has been extensively studied for its potential protective effect against coronary heart disease. But all but a couple found no significant association between coffee intake and coronary heart disease risk.   Case-control studies even found an increased risk in those who consumed five or more cups of coffee daily.  A study conducted in Norway found a link between high intake of unfiltered boiled coffee and increased risk of death from coronary heart disease.  Two major meta-analyses did not find evidence to support the notion that drinking coffee could reduce the risk of heart disease.

Dietar fiber

High dietary fiber has been consistently associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease related mortality.  A meta-analysis of ten prospective cohort studies of diettary fiber intake and heart disease in the U.S. and Europe found an increase of 10 g of fiber per day was linked to a 14% decrease in the risk of coronary events like myocardial infarction and 24 percent reduction in deaths from coronary heart disease. Fiber from cereal fiber and fruit fiber can be particularly effective.

One possible major mechanism behind the reduction in risk of coronary heart disease is that dietary fiber lowers cholesterol, which is a known risk factor for heart disease. Dietary fiber can also improve blood glucose and insulin sensitivity, overall leading to a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease.  One study linked a low fiber high glycemic load diet to higher serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

Fiber rich diets protect against coronary heart disease also by providing certain protective micro nutrients including magnesium and potassium, which help lower blood pressure - another risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables provides many nutrients that protect against coronary heart disease so it should not be a surprise that eating fruit and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of heart disease.   Studies have shown high intake of fruit and vegetables was associated with significant reductions in the risks of coronary heart disease and stroke.  A study found those who ate three or more servings per day were 20 percent and 30 percent less likely than those who ate less to develop coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke, respectively, over the next 8 to 14 years.

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study found eating eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables and one serving of low fat dairy product per day was also associated with significantly lower blood pressure, which is considered a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

In fruit and vegetables, many nutrients including vitamin C, folate, potassium, fiber and various phytochemicals were found cardioprotective.  But be aware that supplementation of individual micronutrients or phytochemicals generally did not show high efficacy in preventing heart disease.

Flavonoids

Studies of flavonoids, which are found high in black tea, apples, onions and cocoa did not generate consistent results with regard to their effects on the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke even though some studies showed an association between high intake of flavonoids and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.  It is more certain through that eating flavonoids-rich foods may protect against these diseases/events although it is uncertain whether flavonoids or other nutrients or the whole foods are responsible for the reduction in the risk.  However, studies also found that foods and beverages with black tea, purple grapes, cocoa or even dark chocolate with high cocoa helped improve endothelium-dependent vasodilation or endothelial function.  in vitro studies also showed these foods and beverages prevented platelets from being aggregated.  This evidence suggests that eating flavonoids-rich foods may help reduce risk of heart disease and stroke.

Dietary iron

High iron intake, particularly heme iron from red meat, was associated with high risk of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.  It is advisable that those who are not at risk of iron deficiency may need to avoid high intake of iron, particularly iron from meat. In other words, meat consumption needs to be reduced.  In fact, high meat consumption has been associated with increased risk of heart disease.  One bad thing iron can do is promote oxidation, increasing oxidative stress in humans.

Legumes

Legumes including beans, peas and lentils are another type of vegetables people can use to reduce their risk of heart disease.  One study showed men and women eating dry beans, peas and peanuts four or more times per week were 21 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease, compared to those eating these foods less than once a week.  When other healthy foods were also included in a diet such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and poultry, the risk of coronary heart disease was reduced by 30 percent in men and 24 percent in women.  Trial studies suggest that the protective effect may be due to the fact that legumes can improve serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles, which are associated with heart disease risk.  

A meta analysis of data from 11 clinical trials found high intake of dry beans was linked to 6 to 7 percent decrease in total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. A few nutrients in dry beans may contribute to the protection against heart disease. They are fibers, which have a cholesterol lowering effect, and folate which can lower homocysteine levels.  Potassium and magnesium in beans may also help reduce the disease risk by lowering blood pressure.  High intake of beans means low glycemic index for a diet which is less likely to raise serum glucose and insulin levels -- two other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Those who want to lower cholesterol quickly or more effectively may of course use statins or red yeast rice or other supplements.  Red yeast rice is as effective as statins, but does not have any side effects on the patients.

Other beneficial food components against coronary heart disease including magnesium, moderate alcohol consumption, nuts, omega-3 fatty acids, phytochemicals, resveratrol, vitamin C and whole grains will be discussed in another article.