Following on from our webinar All Things Diet & Heart Health, we’ve collated a list of key resources on the topic: including both science and practice. Let us know if you find them useful – please comment in the box below. And share with those who’d also like to further their learning!
Factsheets and reports
Diet and Nutrition Infographic (2020), World Heart Federation. Infographic showing the risk factors associated with poor diet and nutrition
Cardiovascular Disease Infographic (2020), World Heart Federation. Infographic showing the statistics behind cardiovascular disease
Heart Health (2020), British Dietetic Association (BDA). Factsheet giving an overview into diet and heart health
Soya (2020), BDA. Factsheet into the role of soya, including how it can benefit heart health
Omega 3 (2020), BDA. All about the importance of omega 3 fatty acids in the diet
Helping to protect yourself from heart disease and stroke (2019), British Nutrition Foundation (BNF). Top tips from the BNF around cardiovascular disease and eating well
Hypertension and Diet (2019), BDA. Dietary advice for high blood pressure
Sterols and Stanols (2018), BDA. A look into the role of sterols and stanols, foods scientifically proven to help lower cholesterol
Fat Facts (2018), BDA. Factsheet discussing the different type of fats in the diet and their role
Healthy Eating Guide (2018), HEART UK. A booklet providing expert advice into lowering cholesterol through diet
Scientific Update on Plant Based Eating & Cardiometabolic Health (2020), The Alpro Foundation. An in-depth 66-page scientific review written by nine global experts
HEART UK Ultimate Cholesterol Lowering Plan© (UCLP©) Resources
UCLP© At a Glance (2020). A factsheet providing a quick introduction and overview into the UCLP©. It also includes useful practical advice and swaps.
UCLP© & Vegan Diets (2020). A factsheet giving advice on how the UCLP© can be followed on a vegan diet
The UCLP© Booklet (2019). Outlines the full step-by-step cholesterol lowering plan in detail, as well as has useful checklists, simple swap ideas, recipes, and lots of top tips
UCLP© Recipes Nutritious heart health recipes to support healthy cholesterol levels. All dietitian approved
Books
The DASH Diet: Lower your blood pressure in just 21 days (2021), Priya Tew RD. A book written by a UK registered dietitian explaining the DASH diet – dietary approaches to stop hypertension. Includes a 21-day plan and more than 30 recipes.
The Portfolio Diet for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction (2019), Wendy Jenkins, Amy Jenkins & Alexandra Jenkins. A comprehensive guide to the evidence-based approach to lowering cholesterol through plant food consumption.
Cardiovascular Disease: Diet, Nutrition and Emerging Risk Factors (2019), British Nutrition Foundation. Updated second edition textbook into cardiovascular and the role of nutrition.
The Low-Cholesterol Cookbook for Two (2020), Andy De Santis RD & Michelle Anderson. Written by US registered dietitian Andy De Santis, this book contains 100 heart healthy recipes.
Everyday Spice Recipe Book (2013), British Heart Foundation. A heart healthy recipe book full of curries, salads and stir-fries.
The International Low Salt Cookbook (2011), World Action on Salt and Health (WASH). Downloadable recipe book full of low salt, healthy recipes.
Healthy Eating for Lower Cholesterol (2009), Daniel Green & Catherine Collins RD. A recipe book created in association with HEART UK, with recipes designed to help lower cholesterol.
Other Useful Websites
British Heart Foundation British charity for cardiovascular disease
World Heart Federation The principal representative body for the global cardiovascular community
Action on Salt Lots of practical resources available on this website to help with lowering salt intake
World Action on Salt and Health A global group concerned with the impacts of salt on health
Almond Board of California Official website full of tools and resources, including many aimed at dietitians and food professionals
Webinars
MyNutriWeb
Cardiometabolic Health & Plant Based Eating – Part 1 (2020). A webinar with Professor Bruce Griffin and Professor David Jenkins discussing the types of dietary patterns impacting on cardiometabolic health & the scientific evidence for the Portfolio Diet and the UCLP©
Cardiometabolic Health & Plant Based Eating – Part 2 (2020). Part 2 of the series
The Truth About Soya (2020). Dr Mark Messina dispels many of the myths and facts around consumption of soya in the diet
UCLP© Webinar (2019). RD Elphee Medici talks through the UCLP© and how it can be applied in practice
HEART UK
Saturated Fats (2020), HEART UK. Webinar from HEART UK into the latest evidence into saturated fats and heart health. Available to stream on YouTube
Social Media – Instagram & Twitter
@MyNutriWeb Our own Instagram & Twitter handle. Keep up to date with our latest events and news
@heartukcharity Instagram & Twitter handle for HEART UK, the heart charity
@worldheartfed Twitter account for the World Heart Federation
@WASHSALT Twitter account for World Action on Salt and Health
@almondboard and @almondsuk Twitter and Instagram account for the Almond Board of California
RDUK Twitter Chats
Cholesterol Lowering (2020). A recorded chat, supported by the British Dietetic Association, between dietitians and other health professionals talking about cholesterol lowering using the hashtags #rduk and #dietandcholesterol
Blogs
MyNutriWeb
Plant-Based Eating and Cardiometabolic Health (2020). Summary of the scientific update on plant-based eating and heart health
Cholesterol and food – new science-based plan (2020). An outline of the UCLP© and the evidence behind it
Will the SACN report put an end to the saturated fat debate? (2020). Here we discuss the debate around saturated fats and heart health
Other blogs
The Cholesterol Lowering Plan Toolkit (2020), Network Health Digest. Blog post summarising the UCLP© and the latest resources available for health professionals and the public
4 Healthy Recipes with California Walnuts (2020), Nics Nutrition. 4 healthy walnut-rich recipes written by UK dietitian Nicola Ludlam-Raine
Eggs and Cholesterol (2019), Priya Tew. Blog post summarising the role of eggs and cholesterol
Nutritional Guidelines and Research
The Combined Portfolio Diet and Exercise Study (ongoing), David Jenkins & Cyril Kendall. An ongoing study aiming to determine whether the Portfolio Diet together with exercise reduces the progression of carotid and coronary atheromatous lesions, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and blood pressure, while reducing the number of individuals requiring statins.
Health impacts and environmental footprints of diets that meet the Eatwell Guide recommendations (2020), British Medical Journal (BMJ). Research into adherence to the Eatwell Guide in the UK, with a key finding that less than 0.1% population adhere to all nine Eatwell recommendations.
Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease (2020), Lee Hooper et al. Evidence supporting the role of lowering saturated fats to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The Effect of Coconut Oil Consumption on Cardiovascular Risk Factors (2020), N Neelakantan. Study showing that coconut oil consumption results in significantly higher LDL-cholesterol than non-tropical vegetable oils.
The ATTIS study (2020), Vita Dikariyanto et al. Randomised control trial into the impact of eating almonds for six weeks on cardiometabolic risk factors.
ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias (2019), European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS). Latest guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias providing evidence-based guidance on diet and lifestyle recommendations.
Saturated fats and health: SACN report (2019), SACN. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) report on saturated fats and health
Nut Consumption in Relation to Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Mortality Among Patients With Diabetes Mellitus (2019), Liu et al. Study finding that higher consumption of nuts was associated with lower CVD incidence & mortality among participants with diabetes mellitus
Marine Omega‐3 Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease (2019), Yang Hu et al. Meta-analysis into omega 3 and cardiovascular disease, showing a lowered risk for myocardial infarction, CHD death, total CHD, CVD death, and total CVD
Food groups and intermediate disease markers (2018), Lukas Schwingshackl et al. Research into the LDL-cholesterol lowering ability of nuts and various other foods
NDNS results from years 7 and 8 (2014-2018), National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS). Results from the NDNS rolling programme, which included the finding that only 11% UK adults consume whole tree nuts (as mentioned in the webinar)
Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet (2013), Ramón Estruch et al. PREDIMED study into the Mediterranean diet and risk of cardiovascular disease
Dietary intervention to reverse carotid atherosclerosis (2010), Iris Shai et al. Study showing that two-year weight loss diets can induce a significant regression of carotid atherosclerosis
Salt and Health report (2003), SACN. SACN advice on salt and recommended Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)
All websites accessed 29/01/2021
