The Sonoma Diet is a popular commercial diet plan that may not only help you lose weight but may also improve your heart health. By adhering to many of the same principles that guide the diets of Mediterranean cultures, the Sonoma Diet introduces concepts to your daily meal planning that can lower cholesterol levels when used on a regular basis.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, which is produced by the liver and obtained through food, travels through the bloodstream in two forms. High density lipoprotein, of HDL cholesterol, shuffles fats out of the blood, while low-density lipoproteins, or LDL cholesterol, carries fats around the body to where it is needed. When LDL levels get too high, it can accumulate on the walls of blood vessels and create arterial plaques. High HDL levels mean that fat is being removed from your blood, so it is generally a good thing. When people talk about lowering cholesterol, they usually mean LDL levels or total cholesterol levels, although if your total cholesterol is high because of high HDL levels, this is typically not a problem.
Sonoma Diet
The Sonoma Diet focuses on creating healthy, tasty meals from fresh ingredients following an eating plan and cooking styles similar to those used by people of the Sonoma area of California and the Mediterranean region of Europe. It is considered a modified Mediterranean-style diet. The diet features cooking in olive oil and eating mainly whole grains, fish, fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and beans. A Mediterranean-style diet, such as the Sonoma Diet, has a strong beneficial effect on cholesterol levels, particularly LDL cholesterol.
Monounsaturated Fats
Mediterranean diets, which are high in monounsaturated fats, have been linked to lower total cholesterol and LDL levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil may also be resistant to oxidation, the process that causes LDL to build up on blood vessel walls. In a 2002 study in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," study participants who consumed 25 mL of olive oil a day had lower LDL levels and this made them less likely to have plaque in their arteries.
Other Dietary Components
Other things in a Mediterranean-style diet like the Sonoma Diet have also been linked to lower cholesterol levels. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish help to create a better blood lipid profile. Plant sterols, or phytosterols, are another component of the Sonoma Diet that can help reduce LDL levels by reducing absorption of dietary cholesterol and stimulating the body to clear out cholesterol circulating in the blood. Phytosterols are abundant in olive oil as well as in the fresh vegetables and fruits recommended by the Sonoma Diet.
