Cholesterol-Lowering Nutrition Plan

The Portfolio Diet
Daily Reference Guide

Four evidence-based food pillars that work together to naturally lower LDL cholesterol. Hit each daily target and you're on track.

The Portfolio diet is a plant-based diet specifically designed to lower LDL cholesterol.

Click to get a free reference table for each of the food groups.

It was developed by Dr. Jenkins and his team at the University of Toronto in the early 2000s.

Instead of removing food from the diet, the Portfolio diet depends on adding more plant-based dietary patterns of 4 cholesterol-lowering foods

Research showed that each one of the 4 plant based foods will lower your cholesterol by 5-10%

The Portfolio diet has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol by up to between 17% to 35% depedning on compliance.

Long-term studies suggested that the Portfolio diet can lower the risk of heart disease by 11-14%.

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Pillar 1

Nuts

45 g / day

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Pillar 2

Plant Protein

50 g / day

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Pillar 3

Viscous Fiber

20 g / day

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Pillar 4

Plant Sterols

2 g / day

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Nuts — 45 g per day

A small handful (≈ 45 g) of mixed nuts daily. Unsalted, raw or dry-roasted preferred.

Food	Portion = ~45 g	Practical tip
Almonds	≈ 30 almonds	Best LDL-lowering evidence; eat with skin
Walnuts	≈ 14 walnut halves	Rich in omega-3 ALA — heart double benefit
Pistachios	≈ 45 kernels	High volume, easy to portion by handful
Cashews	≈ 18 cashews	Good for savory dishes & stir-fries
Hazelnuts	≈ 30 hazelnuts	Great with oatmeal or yogurt
Mixed nuts	3 tablespoons	Rotate varieties for broader nutrient coverage ✓ Best strategy

🌱

Plant Protein — 50 g per day (30 g from soy)

Aim for 30 g from soy sources + 20 g from other plant proteins. Mix and match across meals.

Food	Portion → Protein	Practical tip
Firm tofu	200 g → ~18 g protein	Scramble, grill or add to stir-fry Soy ✓
Edamame	1 cup (155 g) → ~17 g protein	Frozen, ready in 5 min — perfect snack Soy ✓
Soy milk (unsweetened)	1 cup (240 ml) → ~7 g protein	Swap dairy milk in coffee, oats & smoothies Soy ✓
Tempeh	100 g → ~19 g protein	Fermented — better digestion, nutty flavor Soy ✓
Soy protein powder	1 scoop (~25 g) → ~20 g protein	Easy top-up in smoothies Soy ✓
Lentils (cooked)	1 cup (200 g) → ~18 g protein	Soups, salads, dal — very affordable
Chickpeas (cooked)	1 cup (165 g) → ~15 g protein	Roast for a crunchy snack or use in curry
Black/kidney beans	1 cup (172 g) → ~15 g protein	Pair with whole grains for complete amino acids

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Viscous (Soluble) Fiber — 20 g per day

Not all fiber is equal — focus on viscous/soluble fiber. This is the type that traps cholesterol in the gut. Spread across 3 meals for best effect.

Food	Portion → Soluble Fiber	Practical tip
Oats / oatmeal	1 cup cooked → ~4 g	Rolled or steel-cut oats at breakfast — easiest habit ✓ Start here
Psyllium husk	1 tbsp (10 g) → ~7 g	Stir into water, smoothie or yogurt — best fiber-per-gram ✓ Highest yield
Barley (cooked)	1 cup (200 g) → ~6 g	Use as rice substitute in soups & grain bowls
Black beans / lentils	½ cup cooked → ~3–4 g	Double-dips as plant protein too
Apples (with skin)	1 medium → ~1.5 g	Great snack — pectin is a soluble fiber
Pears (with skin)	1 medium → ~1.8 g	Add to salads or eat raw
Brussels sprouts	1 cup cooked → ~2 g	Roast with olive oil for a tasty side
Flaxseeds (ground)	2 tbsp → ~2 g	Sprinkle on oats or yogurt — also adds omega-3

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Plant Sterols — 2 g per day

Natural foods contain only trace amounts. Reaching 2 g/day almost always requires fortified foods or a supplement. Take with meals for best absorption.

Source	Portion → Sterols	Practical tip
Sterol-enriched margarine (e.g. Benecol, Flora pro.activ)	2 tsp (~10 g) → ~2 g	Spread on toast — easiest daily 2 g hit ✓ Most reliable
Sterol-fortified yogurt shot	1 bottle (~67 g) → ~2 g	On-the-go, pre-measured — very convenient
Sterol-fortified OJ or milk	1 cup (240 ml) → ~1 g	2 glasses to hit target — easy with breakfast
Plant sterol supplement	1–2 capsules (label varies) → ~2 g	Check label for 2 g dose; take with largest meal Good backup
Vegetable oils (natural)	~100 ml → ~0.3 g	Too little to rely on — use as bonus, not main source
Nuts & seeds (natural)	Large portions → ~0.1–0.3 g	Contributes a small amount — counts toward nuts pillar too

📋 Your Daily Portfolio Checklist

🥜 45 g nuts (handful of mixed)

🌱 30 g soy protein (tofu / edamame / soy milk)

🌱 20 g other plant protein (lentils / beans / chickpeas)

🫘 1 cup oats + 1 tbsp psyllium + beans → ≈ 15–20 g fiber

🌿 2 tsp sterol margarine OR 1 sterol yogurt shot → 2 g sterols

Based on the Portfolio Diet developed by Dr. David Jenkins, University of Toronto.
Consult your physician or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes,
especially if you are on cholesterol-lowering medication.

One Full Day,
All Four Pillars

A practical sample day showing exactly how to hit every Portfolio Diet target — from breakfast to an evening snack.

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Daily Supplement — Take with Largest Meal

Plant Stanol/Sterol Supplement — 2 g

1–2 capsules with lunch (check label for 2 g dose). Replaces all fortified foods — available worldwide, zero extra calories.

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7:00 – 8:00 AM

Breakfast — Soy Oats with Fig & Walnut

~310 kcal

• 🥣 Rolled oats (cooked in soy milk)½ cup dry (45 g)
• 🥛 Unsweetened soy milk1 cup (240 ml)
• 🌾 Psyllium husk (stirred in)1 tbsp (10 g)
• 🫐 Pomegranate seeds2 tbsp
• 🌿 Dried fig, chopped (1 small)15 g
• 🫚 Ground flaxseeds1 tbsp
• 🫙 Pinch of cinnamon & cardamomto taste

~10 g soluble fiber ~8 g soy protein

💡 Make this the night before as overnight oats — cardamom and fig give it a warm Middle Eastern flavour. Pomegranate adds antioxidants and a beautiful colour.

☀️

10:30 AM

Mid-Morning Snack

~200 kcal

• 🥜 Mixed nuts — almonds, walnuts, pistachios30 g (~2 tbsp)
• 🍎 Green apple (with skin)1 medium
• 💊 Plant stanol supplementTake with water now or with lunch

30 g nuts 2 g sterols via supplement ✓ DONE ~1.5 g soluble fiber

💡 Pre-portion your nuts on Sunday into small containers. Pistachios are popular in the Middle East and a natural fit here — and shelling them slows you down, which helps with mindful eating.

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1:00 – 2:00 PM

Lunch — Mujaddara Bowl with Okra & Artichoke

~430 kcal

• 🫘 Brown lentils (cooked)¾ cup (150 g)
• 🌾 Barley (cooked) — replaces rice in mujaddara⅓ cup cooked
• 🥬 Okra (stewed or roasted)1 cup (100 g)
• 🌱 Artichoke hearts (canned, drained)½ cup (85 g)
• 🧅 Caramelised onion (dry-cooked)½ medium onion
• 🫒 Olive oil + lemon + cumin dressing1 tsp oil
• 🌿 Fresh parsley & mintgenerous handful

~20 g plant protein ~9 g soluble fiber

💡 Mujaddara is a classic Levantine lentil & grain dish. Swapping rice for barley boosts soluble fiber by 3x. Okra's natural mucilage is one of the most potent cholesterol-trapping fibers — don't skip it. Artichoke adds another 4 g soluble fiber per serving.

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4:00 PM

Afternoon Snack — Hummus & Vegetables

~140 kcal

• 🥙 Hummus (made with chickpeas)3 tbsp (60 g)
• 🥒 Cucumber, carrot & celery sticksunlimited
• 🍋 Squeeze of lemon + sumacto taste

~5 g plant protein ~2 g soluble fiber

💡 Hummus is pure chickpea — a natural Portfolio Diet food. Make a big batch on Sunday with a little tahini, lemon and cumin. The crudités are unlimited — fill up freely.

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7:30 – 8:30 PM

Dinner — Tofu Shawarma with Edamame Tabbouleh

~420 kcal

• 🥙 Firm tofu — shawarma-spiced, baked160 g
• 🌿 Edamame tabbouleh (parsley, mint, tomato, edamame, bulgur)1 cup
• 🥬 Stewed okra with tomato & garlic (bamia)1 cup (100 g)
• 🥜 Crushed almonds (topping)15 g
• 🫒 Tahini-lemon drizzle1 tbsp tahini
• 🫙 Shawarma spice blend (cumin, turmeric, coriander, allspice)to taste

~38 g soy protein ✓ DONE +15 g almonds → 45 g nuts ✓ DONE ~5 g soluble fiber

💡 Marinate tofu in shawarma spices + a splash of lemon overnight. Bamia (okra stew) is a classic Arabic dish — the slow-cooked okra maximises its cholesterol-trapping mucilage. Edamame tabbouleh swaps bulgur for half edamame, adding serious soy protein to a beloved Levantine staple.

📊 Daily Portfolio Totals — ~1,500 kcal

🥜 Nuts

45 g

Target: 45 g ✓

🌱 Soy Protein

~38 g

Target: 30 g ✓

🌱 Plant Protein

~25 g

Target: 20 g ✓

🫘 Soluble Fiber

~27 g

Target: 20 g ✓

🌿 Plant Sterols

2 g

Via supplement ✓

Based on the Portfolio Diet by Dr. David Jenkins, University of Toronto.
Approximate calorie total: ~1,500 kcal · Mediterranean & Arabic style adaptation.
Consult your physician or registered dietitian before significant dietary changes.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not a replacement for your medication. Do not stop or change your prescribed medication without consulting your doctor first.