Just In: This Diet May Lower The Risk Of Heart Disease In Women Over 50

The researchers studied more than 123,000 postmenopausal women in the U.S. who followed a Portfolio Diet. At the start of the study, none of the women had cardiovascular disease. When following up (on average ~15 years later), researchers found that those who closely adhered to the diet were 11% less likely to develop any cardiovascular diseases, as well as 14% less likely to develop coronary heart disease, and 17% less likely to develop heart failure. 

The results were observational and will require more research to understand exactly how these foods protect the heart. However, “an 11% reduction is clinically meaningful and would meet anyone’s minimum threshold for a benefit,” senior study author John Sievenpiper, M.D., Ph.D., said in a news release.

Even better news? You don’t have to overhaul your entire way of eating to see results. “We also found a dose response in our study,” lead author Andrea J. Glenn, M.Sc., R.D, said, “meaning that you can start small, adding one component of the Portfolio Diet at a time, and gain more heart-health benefits as you add more components.”