Strict adherence to a vegetarian dietary pattern may be beneficial in reducing the concentrations of cholesterol floating in the blood.
This research work was carried out to determine the effect of regular intake of vegetarian diets on plasma lipid levels. A team of researchers collated and reviewed data extracted from a total of 11 randomized controlled trials.
The researchers found out that consistent consumption of vegetarian diets reduced serum concentrations of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and non high density lipoprotein cholesterol. In contrast, vegetarian diets were found to have no significant effect on serum triglyceride levels. The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that a substantial reduction in cholesterol levels can be achieved through habitual consumption of vegetarian diets.