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MADISON, Wis., Jul 23, 2003 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- High cholesterol can be improved by eating foods our primate ancestors dined on, according to a study by University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found the so-called ape diet as effective at lowering LDL cholesterol -- the bad kind -- as a cholesterol-lowering statin drug.
The ape diet contains healthy doses of soy protein, oats, barley, nuts, fiber, vegetable oils and fruits and vegetables, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
The study followed 46 people with high cholesterol for one month. Some were put on a low-fat diet, some had the same low-fat diet plus the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin, also known as Mevacor, and some had the ape diet.
All saw substantial decreases in cholesterol, but the ape diet performed nearly as well as the low-fat diet plus the statin drug.
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
