We have shown in 1-month metabolic studies that a dietary portfolio, consisting of soy products, viscous fibers, almonds and plant sterols in the form of margarine, can lower cholesterol to the same extent as first generation statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs). However, the long-term effectiveness of the dietary portfolio is not known. Furthermore, it is not known to what extent each of the food components contribute to the cholesterol reductions observed. We wish to therefore evaluate the long term effects of the dietary portfolio as well as the effects of removing single food components from the dietary portfolio on cholesterol reduction and other cardiovascular risk factors. We believe the removal of single food components will result in a reduction of the cholesterol-lowering effect to a similar extent as predicted with the cholesterol reductions observed when the food component is consumed alone.