Objective: To study in humans the relationship between a diet consistent with most of the current recommendations for the prevention of nutrition-related diseases (Wholesome Nutrition) and the blood lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol, LDL=HDL-ratio, triglycerides). Design: Cross-sectional study with two diet groups. Setting: Former West Germany. Subjects: Healthy women (n ¼ 243, aged 25 -65 y) adhering to Wholesome Nutrition for at least 5 y (subdivided into 111 ovo-lacto vegetarians and 132 low-meat eaters) and an according control group of 175 women eating an average German mixed diet. They were all recruited through an advertisement campaign and selected on the basis of their food consumption. Results: Considering potential confounders, the Wholesome Nutrition subgroups had higher HDL-cholesterol levels than the control group. No differences were observed for total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. For LDL=HDL-ratio and triglycerides the effect of diet was dependent on interaction terms. With increasing risk factors (age or body mass index (BMI)) the Wholesome Nutrition subgroups showed more favourable blood lipids. Conclusions: Women eating a preventive diet on a long-term basis exhibit more favourable blood lipid profiles than women consuming an average mixed diet. This is particularly obvious for HDL-cholesterol in the presence of certain risk factors and when an ovo-lacto vegetarian version is practised.

Background/Objective: β-Carotene is often used as a marker for the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed, but little is known about plasma β-carotene concentrations in subjects whose habitual (long-term) diets are characterized by different amounts of foods of plant origin. We compared dietary β-carotene intake and plasma concentrations in women on habitual diets differing in the consumed amounts of foods of plant origin. Methods: A comparison of dietary β-carotene intakes and plasma β-carotene concentrations in women adhering to an average Western diet (n = 172), wholesome nutrition (following preventive recommendations) (n = 238) or a raw food diet (n = 104). Results: Dietary β-carotene intake was 5.5, 9.3, 14.7 mg/day for women adhering to an average Western diet, wholesome nutrition and raw food diet, respectively (p < 0.001). Corresponding multivariate adjusted plasma β-carotene concentrations were 1.07, 1.65, and 1.16 µmol/l, respectively (p < 0.001). Comparable dietary β-carotene intake resulted in lower multivariate adjusted plasma β-carotene in women adhering to a raw food diet and average Western diet compared to those on wholesome nutrition (p < 0.001 for all intake groups up to 20 mg/day). The amount of fruit and vegetable intake did not predict plasma β-carotene levels in women consuming a raw food diet. Conclusions: Plasma β-carotene concentrations differed among the diet groups, with highest plasma levels in women adhering to wholesome nutrition. Plasma β-carotene concentrations may not reflect β-carotene intake and the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed.