Do you know the “portfolio” diet? Far from being a novelty, it is nevertheless often eclipsed by other more flashy and radical eating habits (like paleo). From reducing cholesterol to reducing the risk of death from cancer, including better cardiovascular condition: the list of benefits touted by its followers seems endless. But what does science say? Is this diet, developed in the early 2000s by David Jenkins, professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, really miraculous?
What do we eat when we eat “portfolio”? Nuts and seeds, plant-based proteins, fruits and vegetables, and heart-healthy oils rich in omega 3. Nothing particularly crazy, then. The diet is essentially a “portfolio” of foods. “It gets its name because it looks like a business portfolio: you can choose the components you like”says Andrea Glenn, registered dietitian and assistant professor of nutrition at New York University.
The first evidence of its benefits appeared in a small study conducted by Jenkins and his team in 2003. It found that people with high cholesterol and following the portfolio diet saw their “bad” cholesterol drop by 35% after four weeks. A more recent study, published in 2025 in BMC Medicine and conducted among 14,835 adults, showed that people following the portfolio diet most faithfully had a 16% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 14% reduced risk of dying prematurely, from all causes, over a period of twenty-two years.
What foods make up the portfolio diet?
If you want to get started, you’ll want to look into nuts and seeds, as well as plant-based proteins like soy milk, tofu and legumes. To top it all off, oats, barley and fruits like apples, berries or persimmons will do the trick. As for fats, go for extra virgin olive, rapeseed, sunflower or safflower oil, and eat a few avocados.
The portfolio diet also sets daily intake goals to respect: 50g of plant-based proteins, 45g of nuts and seeds, 45g of heart-healthy oils, 20g of fiber and 2g of plant sterols. No foods are off-limits, but the diet is primarily plant-based so the focus is on what to add in your meals, rather than on what to eliminate.
Many experts recommend starting with small changes. For example, you could replace rice with barley or butter with healthy oils in your preparations. It is also recommended to gradually increase your fiber consumption to limit bloating. “The hardest part for many is reaching 50g of daily plant-based protein”notes Keith Ayoob, a New York-based dietitian-nutritionist and associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Many benefits
If the diet was designed to reduce bad cholesterol, its benefits go far beyond this sole objective. Effects have been observed on cardiovascular risk factors such as inflammation, blood pressure and glycemic control. A 2024 study showed that in people with type 2 diabetes, adopting the portfolio diet significantly reduced HbA1c (an indicator of average blood sugar) over six months. A previous study from 2021 had already revealed that men following this diet had 28% less risk of dying prematurely or dying from cancer over ten years.
Following at least some principles of this diet can help anyone improve their eating habits, without following all the “portfolio” recommendations to the letter. A 2023 study confirmed that increasing vegetable consumption as part of a plant-based diet significantly reduces the risk of heart disease.
By following 210,240 American adults over 30 years, the researchers found that those whose diet was similar to that put in place by Jenkins and his team had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease or stroke.
“It’s really a great diet.”concludes Keith Ayoob. Although it may seem a bit strict in suggesting quantities of each type of food, that doesn’t mean you have to follow it to the letter. “Small pleasures are part of life and can even help maintain this eating style in the long term,” adds the professor.
