A new U.S. study suggests that regularly eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains may significantly reduce the risk of developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes—two of the deadliest chronic conditions.
Researchers found that phytosterols, naturally occurring compounds in plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetable oils, play a key role in improving metabolism and reducing inflammation. These effects contribute to lower risks of both cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Phytosterols are structurally similar to cholesterol and help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by blocking its absorption. While their cholesterol-lowering effects are well known, this study highlights their potential to regulate insulin and prevent heart inflammation.
Despite these benefits, nearly 90 percent of Americans fail to meet the recommended daily intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains—key sources of phytosterols.
The study followed over 200,000 American adults for 36 years, using dietary questionnaires and statistical models to track phytosterol consumption and the onset of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Over the study period, more than 20,000 participants developed diabetes and nearly 16,000 developed heart disease.
Findings showed that participants who consumed about five servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit, two servings of whole grains, and half a serving of nuts per day—foods high in phytosterols—had a roughly 10 percent lower risk of developing either disease.
Phytosterols are most concentrated in unrefined plant oils, including nut, vegetable, and olive oils. Other rich sources include almonds, pistachios, cashews, pumpkin seeds, oats, barley, chickpeas, lentils, and soybeans. Fruits and vegetables such as pineapples, oranges, berries, bananas, broccoli, artichokes, and sweet potatoes also contain phytosterols.
Researchers also analyzed blood samples from about 40,000 people to examine metabolic markers. They found that phytosterol consumption was linked to better metabolic health, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced heart inflammation.
Dr. Fenglei Wang, the study’s lead author and a research associate at Harvard University, said the findings support the idea that a plant-rich diet promotes long-term health.
Although the study confirms the benefits of a phytosterol-rich diet, it did not pinpoint whether the positive outcomes were solely due to phytosterols or the combined effects of antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients found in plant foods.
The research was presented at the Bioactives for Brain and Cardiometabolic Health session in Orange County, Florida, and will be published in the journal Nutrition.
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