Research

Macro partitioning

Replacing carbohydrates with protein (approx. half from plant sources) or unsaturated fat (predominantly monounsaturated) in a diet reduced in saturated fat further lowers systolic blood pressure and improves serum lipid profiles compared to a carbohydrate-rich diet.

If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, try swapping some of your carbohydrates (like bread, rice, or pasta) for more protein (especially plant-based sources like beans and nuts) or unsaturated fats (like olive oil and avocados). This change, while keeping total calories and saturated fat low, can lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels more than sticking to a high-carb diet alone.

WeakSupportsHIGH confidence
In the setting of a healthful diet, partial substitution of carbohydrate with either protein or monounsaturated fat can further lower blood pressure, improve lipid levels, and reduce estimated cardiovascular risk.
Lawrence J. Appel et al. · JAMA · 2005

Why this rating

Randomized, 3-period, crossover feeding study with high adherence and controlled conditions.

Source

Effects of Protein, Monounsaturated Fat, and Carbohydrate Intake on Blood Pressure and Serum Lipids

Lawrence J. Appel et al. · JAMA · 2005

DOI 10.1001/jama.294.19.2455

crossover · n=164Cited 1,164×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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