Researchers created the OmniHeart diet as part of the OmniHeart Trial, a clinical study sponsored by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. OmniHeart is shorthand for Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial to Prevent Heart Disease. The study formulated two diets, one higher in protein and one higher in unsaturated fats than the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet. The trial compared each diet's effects on blood pressure and cholesterol. Consult your own doctor before you adopt this diet.
History
The OmniHeart Trial that began in 2002 and ended in 2005 documented the effects of controlled food intake of 164 hypertensive and prehypertensive participants. Dr. L. J. Appel and colleagues reported their results in the November 2005 issue of "Journal of the American Medical Association" in the article "Effects of protein, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate intake on blood pressure and serum lipids: results of the OmniHeart randomized trial." The study data showed that the modified-protein OmniHeart diet was more effective than the DASH diet for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
Features
The main difference between the DASH diet and OmniHeart are the guidelines for carbohydrate and protein intake. The OmniHeart meals were 48 percent carbohydrate, 25 percent protein and 27 percent fat. The DASH meals were 58 percent carbohydrate, 15 percent protein and 27 percent fat. The third group had a diet with higher monounsaturated fats than the DASH diet. Their diets were 48 percent carbohydrate, 15 percent protein and 37 percent fat. All diets contained 2,100 calories and 6 percent saturated fat.
Significance
The OmniHeart protein-modified diet reduced blood pressure more than the competing diets. It reduced triglycerides 16.9 points, compared to 9.3 points for the monounsaturated fat diet and an increase of 0.1 for DASH. LDL cholesterol decreased by 14.2 points for the OmniHeart diet, 13.1 for the monounsaturated fats diet and 11.6 for DASH. Total cholesterol reductions were 19.9 for OmniHeart, 15.4 for monounsaturated diets and 12.4 for DASH. Researchers concluded that both the OmniHeart and the monounsaturated fats diets decreased cardiovascular risks. Neither performed significantly better than the other, but both were better than DASH.
Expert Insight
Harvard University states that the OmniHeart diet lowers both good and bad cholesterol. The clinical trial showed that the specific mix of fats proposed for the diet caused drops in the HDL levels in participants that consumed the OmniHeart meals. The Center for Science in the Public Interest says that you can benefit from results of the OmniHeart Trial by combining elements from both of the top performing diets.
What to Eat
No one has written a book that details the OmniHeart diet, but Harvard University translated the guidelines into a daily meal plan. Modify your diet to fit the OmniHeart plan by consuming 3.8 servings of fruit and 4.5 vegetable servings, along with 5 oz. of whole grains. Your diet should also include 2.5 servings of milk or dairy products, 3.0 oz. of vegetable protein and 5 oz. of animal proteins. Add 3.5 tbsp. of fats and 2.5 tsp. of sugar along with a maximum of 1.1 egg substitute 1 oz. equivalents.
References
- Clinical Trials Results: OmniHeart Feeding Study
- Harvard University: Translating Good Food Into Better Diets
- "JAMA": Effects Of Protein, Monounsaturated Fat, and Carbohydrate Intake on Blood Pressure And Serum Lipids: Results Of The Omniheart Randomized Trial; LJ Appel, et al.; Nov. 2005
- "J Am. Diet. Assoc.": Characteristics of the Diet Patterns Tested in the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial to Prevent Heart Disease (Omniheart): Options for A Heart-Healthy Diet; JF Swain, et al.; Feb. 2008
- Harvard University: Information About the OmniHeart Diets
- Center for Science in the Public Interest: What Should I Eat
