Heart Health

Eating more plant-based fat may help your heart

Research we're watching

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
An assortment of glass bottles containing different types of plant-based oils, arranged in a row.

In a study that spanned more than two decades, people whose diets favored plant-based fat lived longer than those who ate more animal-based fat. The same distinction appeared specifically for deaths from heart disease.

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About the Author

photo of Julie Corliss

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss is the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Before working at Harvard, she was a medical writer and editor at HealthNews, a consumer newsletter affiliated with The New England Journal of Medicine. She … See Full Bio
View all posts by Julie Corliss

About the Reviewer

photo of Christopher P. Cannon, MD

Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Christopher P. Cannon is editor in chief of the Harvard Heart Letter. He is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and senior physician in the Preventive Cardiology section of the Cardiovascular Division at … See Full Bio
View all posts by Christopher P. Cannon, MD

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You might also be interested in…

Plant-Based Eating

For a variety of reasons, many people are interested in cutting back on animal foods, such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs. Some of them are motivated by the health benefits of eating more plants. Another main motivator for eating a plant-based diet is its environmental benefits. In addition, many people are interested in decreasing animal food intake because of concerns about animal welfare or for other moral or religious reasons.
The bottom line: more and more people are lightening their intake of animal foods in pursuit of a more sustainable, plant-based lifestyle.
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