Follow a plant-based diet, they say. It’s better for your health and the climate crisis, they say. I’ve written plenty of articles highlighting the benefits of plant-based eating for both our health and that of the planet. Yet not all plant-based foods are made equal.
In fact, recent research has found that heavily processed plant-based foods may be harming your heart and sending you to an early grave.
How Healthy Are Ultra-Processed Plant-Based Foods?
As the name suggests, ultra-processed foods have undergone heavy industrial processes. This leaves them extra tasty, quick to prepare and ultra convenient. Unfortunately, that convenience may come at the cost of our health.
Researchers analyzed the data of over 118,000 people aged between 40 and 69 that had been collected between 2009 and 2021. The data were courtesy of the UK Biobank – a longitudinal study that included participants from England, Scotland, and Wales. The participants had answered questions about their diet. Later, this information was linked to hospital and death records linked to cardiovascular events.
The findings, published in The Lancet Regional Health — Europe, found a strong association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and 5% increased risk for cardiovascular disease and a 13% increased risk for early death.
How Do Ultra-Processed Plant-Based Foods Affect Heart Health Longevity
“Food additives and industrial contaminants present in these foods might cause oxidative stress and inflammation, further aggravating the risks.” – Fernanda Rauber, first author
A food may be plant-based, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain harmful ingredients – especially if the food is heavily processed. Highly processed plant-based foods are rich in unhealthy fats, sodium and added sugars – the worst ingredients for your heart and longevity.
These ingredients, as well as the production of ultra-processed foods, can lead to high levels of inflammation, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, as well as insulin resistance. This increases the risk of heart disease, as well as other chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity.
Eating plant-based foods safely
“Eating plant-based products can be beneficial, acting as protection against health problems, or it can represent a risk — it all depends on the level of processing of these foods.” – Renata Levy, senior study author
The study also found that each 10% replacement of plant-based ultra-processed foods with fresh, frozen, or minimally processed plants served to reduce the risk for heart disease and heart disease-related mortality by 7% and 13%, respectively.
That said, the study is an observational one, as it fails to establish cause and effect. Nonetheless, we really should reduce our intake of highly processed foods, regardless of them being plant-based. Ultimately, the ultra-processed plant-based foods featured in the study included packaged breads, pastries, buns, cakes, and cookies.
Despite the study’s findings and drawbacks, it does remind us that not all plant-based foods are made equal. If you want to follow a plant-based diet, here’s how to do so:
- Avoid ultra-processed foods – a long list of unrecognizable ingredients
- Focus on whole and minimally processed foods – the fresher, the better
Want to know more?
Plant-based may be the word of the day when it comes to healthy eating, but it’s not always that simple. Thankfully, one person who knows how to navigate plant-based eating is Pamela Anderson. The actress is releasing a cookbook featuring a beautiful collection of plant-basedfamily recipes and entertaining ideas.
References
LaMotte, S. (2024). Plant-based ultraprocessed foods linked to heart disease, early death, study says. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/10/health/plant-based-junk-food-study-wellness/index.html
Rauber, F., Laura, M., Chang, K., Huybrechts, I., et al. (2024). Implications of food ultra-processing on cardiovascular risk considering plant origin foods: an analysis of the UK Biobank cohort. The Lancet regional health. Europe, pp.100948–100948. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.100948
