Validating the "Foods for Health" Portfolio of Functional Food Products

Inclusion criteria

Participants aged > 21 to < 65 years will be recruited on the basis of ability to give informed consent and being unwilling to use or intolerant of at-least one statin medication.

Exclusion criteria

Participants will be excluded if they are unable to speak/read in English or are unable or unwilling to temporarily hold all statin/lipid lowering therapies including supplements throughout the study period.

Participants with diabetes or severe obesity (body mass index, BMI, > 35 kg/m2) will be excluded.

Women who are pregnant or planning to be pregnant during the study period will not be eligible for the study.

Participants with any food allergies/intolerances, food restrictions due to medical, religious or philosophical reason - including Kosher, vegan, vegetarian, high protein, low-carbohydrate, low-phosphorus, etc. other than attempting to follow an eating plan as generally advocated by the American Heart Association (low sodium, low cholesterol, reduced fat, etc.) will be excluded.

Participants will not be eligible if their baseline fasting LDL-C is < 100 mg/dL or > 190 mg/dL; or evidence of tissue cholesterol deposition; if their baseline fasting TG is > 400 mg/dL or baseline fasting blood glucose is > 126 mg/dL.

Consumption of more than 2 alcoholic drink/day or history of alcoholism or drug dependence will also serve as an exclusion criterion.

Smokers will be excluded from the study.

History of non-skin cancer, history of melanoma, history of rheumatoid arthritis or other chronic rheumatologic condition, history of advanced cardiovascular disease (moderate or greater valvular disease, history congestive heart failure, known coronary artery disease, history dysrhythmias requiring medical or surgical intervention), , known chronic liver or renal disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, uncontrolled thyroid disease, hormonal supplementation(other than thyroid), pancreatitis, gallbladder or biliary disease, neurological/psychological disease, and gastrointestinal disorders that could interfere with fat absorption will be excluded.

Individuals with uncontrolled hypertension having systolic blood pressure >150 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure >100 mm Hg will be excluded from the study.