Regularly eating a combination of fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains may reduce your risk of developing two of the most deadly chronic diseases, a study suggests. 

A group of American researchers discovered phytosterols, a compound found naturally in a variety of foods like nuts, seeds, grains and vegetable oils, can help improve metabolism and reduce inflammation – keeping both heart disease and type 2 diabetes at bay.

However, up to 90 percent of Americans don’t eat the recommended daily serving of fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. 

Phytosterols are compounds similar to cholesterol and are promoted as a way to improve heart health and decrease blood levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol as they are known to absorb the fat-like substance. 

Now, the new study suggests high phytosterol intake can also improve insulin regulation, reduce heart inflammation and contribute to a healthy metabolism.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes globally and over 37million American adults suffer from it.

The American Heart Association reports about 48 percent of Americans are living with some type of cardiovascular disease and CVD is the number one killer in the US – accounting for about one in five deaths.

Dr Fenglei Wang, lead author and research associate at Harvard University, said the findings support claims that eating a healthy plant-based diet with plenty of vegetables and whole grains can be beneficial for humans. 

Regularly eating a combination of fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains may reduce your risk of developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes

While phytosterols are found in all plant foods, the highest concentrations are found in unrefined plant oils, including vegetable, nuts and olive oils. 

Nuts such as almonds, pistachio and cashews; seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and watermelon; whole grains such as oats and barley as well as legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and soybeans are also good dietary sources of phytosterols. 

The compound is also found in vegetables such as artichokes, broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes and cauliflower as well as fruits such as pineapples, oranges, berries and bananas. 

The researchers followed over 200,000 American adults for 36 years. 

The participants were asked to periodically answer questionnaires on dietary intake to measure how much phytosterol-rich food they were consuming. 

Their answers were then evaluated using a variety of statistical models to discover their likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

During the follow-up period, the researchers noted over 20,000 study participants developed Type 2 diabetes and nearly 16,000 developed heart disease. 

The researchers suggest that eating a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods can help to prevent or delay heart disease

Results showed those who consumed about five servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit, two servings of whole grains and half a serving of nuts – all of which are high in phytosterols – per day were about 10 percent less likely to develop either conditions. 

But nearly no American reaches these benchmarks. 

The researchers also analyzed metabolites – products of metabolism – and other metabolic biomarkers present in blood samples from about 40,000 people to understand the effect of phytosterols on the calorie-burning process. 

Pictured: Dr Fenglei Wang, lead author and research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

They discovered those who consumed phytosterols had better metabolism – which helped control insulin levels and inflammation around the heart. 

Dr Wang noted the results showed consuming phytosterols may reduce the risk for Type 2 diabetes by reducing insulin resistance in the body and stave off heart disease by preventing inflammation.

The foods studied as part of the research are recommended as part of a healthy and well-rounded diet and have been linked to multiple health benefits also because of their antioxidants and fiber.

The scientists in the most recent study, however, did not specify how they observed the benefits stemmed from the consumption of phytosterols specifically. 

The study was presented today at the Bioactives for Brain and Cardiometabolic Health session in Orange County, Florida and will later be published in the journal Nutrition.