Vegan Guide
VEGAN GUIDE

Health

How does a vegan diet affect cholesterol?

Short answer

Plant foods contain no cholesterol. A well-built vegan diet often lowers LDL, especially when it replaces processed meat and fatty dairy with fibre and legumes.

The “vegan” label is not magic: coconut cheese and fries will not fix a lipid panel. Oats, beans, nuts and plant sterols have a real effect.

People on statins should not stop medication just because they went vegan. Diet supports treatment; it does not replace a prescribed therapy.

Sources

  1. Vegetarian Dietary Patterns for Adults: Position Paper of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2025)
  2. The vegan diet — NHS

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