by If those plant-based foods are ultra-processed, however, they can do more harm than good when it comes to heart health.
A new study shows that excessive consumption of ultra-processed plant-based foods – including certain frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals, salty snacks, and packaged breads, pastries and cookies – may raise the risk of heart disease by up to 5 percent and the risk of death from heart disease as much as 12 percent.
Conversely, the researchers found that participants who increased their intake of unprocessed plant foods by 10 percent had a 7 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 13 percent reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
“Our main finding is that a plant-based diet can improve your cardiovascular health, as long as it doesn’t rely on ultra-processed foods,” says the study’s lead author, Fernanda Rauber, PhD, a researcher with the Center of Epidemiological Research. in Nutrition and Health at the School of Public Health of the University of São Paulo in Brazil. “As more people adopt plant-based diets, it becomes imperative to examine the role of food processing within these dietary patterns, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease.”
“The study challenges the common perception that plant-based foods are inherently healthier,” says Janna Assar, MD, a family medicine physician with Banner Health in Phoenix. “It points out that the high level of processing can negate the potential benefits of plant-based foods, emphasizing the need to consider food processing in dietary guidelines, not just the origin of the food.”
Ultra-Processed Foods Threaten Heart Health
Ultra-processed foods are often industrial formulations created by breaking down whole foods into chemical components, modifying them, and then combining them with additives, according to Dr. Rauber.
She and her colleagues emphasize that processed plant-based foods high in unhealthy fat, sodium, and added sugars can contribute to dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of fat in the bloodstream), atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, resistance insulin, obesity, and metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
Some of these plant foods may contain chemical preservatives and artificial sweeteners and food coloring, as well as contaminants from industrial processing that may raise heart risks.
Christopher Gardner, PhD, chairman of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health, points out that packaged foods don’t necessarily make them unhealthy.
He recommends that consumers check nutrition labels found on most packaged goods, and look for products that are high in fiber and other nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fat, and protein), but low in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium. .
“While it’s always best to choose fresh, whole foods that don’t come in packages that require a nutrition label, we know this isn’t always possible for everyone,” says Dr. Gardner, who is a professor with. medicine at Stanford University in California.
What About Fake Meat?
In this study, these types of food accounted for only 0.2 percent of the total calories consumed, so specific conclusions could not be made regarding this type of product. Also, many other meat options, such as the recently popular Impossible Burgers and Beyond Meat, were not yet on the market when this data was collected.
On the other hand, Dr. Assar warns that some fake meats may contain added sodium, unhealthy fats, and various additives to mimic the taste and texture of meat. “The processing methods and ingredients used can contribute to negative health outcomes,” says Assar, who was not involved in this study.
The Case Against Ultra-Processed Foods Grows
As this was an observational analysis, cause and effect could not be established. Rauber and her team emphasize that the study only found an association between heart disease and the consumption of ultra-processed foods of plant origin.
In addition, it is possible that participants incorrectly reported the types and amounts of food they ate, or that lifestyle factors contributed to these results.
However, Rauber notes that this latest research adds to a growing body of evidence indicating that ultra-processed foods can lead to negative health outcomes. A review of 45 previous scientific analyzes on the subject concluded that greater exposure to ultra-processed foods increased the likelihood of death from preventable diseases.
“I recommend basing your diet primarily on whole and minimally processed foods,” she says. When buying ready-made food or preparations, it is best to read the list of ingredients. If it only contains ingredients you recognize and commonly have in your kitchen, it’s more likely to be made from real food and not ultra-processed food.”
