Researchers have found that cardiovascular
benefits of plant-based diets depend heavily on food quality and level of
processing after studying over 63,000 adults over nearly a decade. While diets
rich in whole, minimally processed plant foods significantly reduced heart
disease risk, those dominated by ultra-processed plant foods offered no
protection—and in some cases increased risk by as much as 40%.
Studies done earlier found that high
consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a greater likelihood of
cardiovascular disease. Other studies suggest that plant-based diets can lower
this risk, but only when foods are nutritionally balanced and consumed in
appropriate proportions. To better understand this relationship, scientists
besides distinguishing plant and animal foods also evaluated nutritional
quality—such as fat, sugar, salt, vitamin, and mineral content—as well as the
degree of industrial processing.
The study showed that dietary intake was
assessed using repeated online questionnaires covering at least three days,
allowing researchers to precisely classify food choices.
The findings showed that participants who
consumed more high-quality, minimally processed plant foods—such as fruits,
vegetables, and other nutrient-dense options low in sugar, fat, and salt—had
about a 40% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared with those
who ate fewer nutritious plant foods and more animal-based products.
In contrast, individuals whose diets
included large amounts of ultra-processed plant foods did not experience
cardiovascular benefits, even when those foods appeared nutritionally
favourable. Products such as industrial wholemeal breads, packaged soups, ready-made
pasta dishes, and pre-prepared salads with dressings failed to reduce heart
disease risk.
The highest risk was observed among adults
whose diets were dominated by ultra-processed plant foods of low nutritional
quality, including crisps, sugary drinks, sweetened breakfast cereals,
confectionery, and savoury biscuits. Their cardiovascular disease risk was
approximately 40% higher than that of individuals consuming mostly minimally
processed, high-quality plant foods.
Overall, the study conveys the message that
cardiovascular protection comes from eating plant foods that are both
nutrient-rich and minimally processed, rather than relying on ultra-processed
plant-based alternatives. In short, plant-based diets are not inherently
heart-healthy.
