Increased Consumption of Virgin Olive Oil, Nuts, Legumes, Whole Grains, and Fish Promotes HDL Functions in Humans

Abstract

Scope To evaluate whether increases in the consumption of cardioprotective food groups (virgin olive oil, nuts, fruits/vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, and wine) are associated with improvements in high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) functions in high cardiovascular risk subjects. Methods and Results The association between 1‐year changes in food group consumption and HDL functionality traits in 296 high cardiovascular risk subjects is assessed. Increases in virgin olive oil (10 g d–1) and whole grain consumption (25 g d–1) are associated with increments in cholesterol efflux capacity (+0.7%, P = 0.026, and +0.6%, P = 0.017, respectively). Increases in nut (30 g d–1) and legume intake (25 g d–1) are linked to increments in paraoxonase‐1 activity (+12.2%, P = 0.049, and +11.7%, P = 0.043, respectively). Legume intake increases are also related to decreases in cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity (–4.8%, P = 0.028). Fish consumption increments (25 g d–1) are associated with increases in paraoxonase‐1 activity (+3.9%, P = 0.030) and declines in cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity (–1.6%, P = 0.021), HDL cholesterol concentrations (–1.1%, P = 0.039), and functions related to HDL levels (cholesterol efflux capacity, –1.1%, P = 0.010). Conclusion Increases in the consumption of virgin olive oil, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and fish (achievable through a regular diet) were associated with improvements in HDL functions in high cardiovascular risk subjects.

Relationship Between HDL Functional Characteristics and Cardiovascular Health and Potential Impact of Dietary Patterns: A Narrative Review

“…The food groups identified as most effective at increasing HDL-C were nuts, whole grains, fish, and red meats. With the exception of the meat item, this list is consistent with the findings of Hernaez et al [77] with regard to associations of Mediterranean diet foods and HDL functionality, including cholesterol efflux capacity and antioxidant activity.…”

“…Hernaez at al. [77] have recently interrogated the associations in this study population between changes in food consumption over one year and the observed change in HDL functions and have estimated the change related to common servings of the foods. The fully adjusted multivariate linear regression models yielded significant associations of key foods in amounts achievable through diet with several HDL functions.…”

Dietary Fatty Acids in Postprandial Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins Modulate Human Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cell Maturation and Activation

“…The literature often suggests that lifestyle and traditional dietary habits unique to the Mediterranean region play a role in the prevention of oxidative- and inflammatory-related pathologies, such as cardiometabolic diseases and cancer [ 23 ]. Olive oil, the main dietary fat in the Mediterranean diet, due to its content of oleic acid (MUFA) and minor constituents, modulate different processes linked to chronic low-grade inflammation [ 24 ]. This view is in contrast to diets rich in SFAs, such as the “meat-based” or “Westernized” diets, which are inductive of inflammatory states [ 25 ].…”

Effects of Virgin Olive Oil and Phenol-Enriched Virgin Olive Oils on Lipoprotein Atherogenicity

“…An intervention with a traditional MD, in the frame of the PREDIMED study, also increased cholesterol efflux in humans at cardiovascular risk [114]. Specifically, the augmentation of the intake of VOO, whole grain, and fish (achievable through a regular diet) were associated with improvements in the HDL cholesterol efflux capacity in subjects at high cardiovascular risk [115]. PCs and fatty acids are potent ligands of the PPARs family and other nuclear factors involved in RCT.…”