A plant-based diet might decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke

Rather than focusing on the saturated fats in your diet, researchers say a plant-based diet might be better for lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease. For a study presented at a conference of the American Society for Nutrition, researchers studied the diets of over 4,800 adults over three decades. They found that while consuming fewer saturated fats was associated with lower LDL cholesterol levels, only plant-based diets were associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke over the long term. Based on their findings, the researchers recommend 80 percent of your diet come from plants - vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, with the remainder coming from non-fried fish, poultry, and low-fat dairy in small amounts.