However, if these plant foods are ultra-processed, they may do more harm than good when it comes to heart health.
A new study indicates that excessive consumption of plant-based, ultra-processed foods – including certain frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals, salty snacks and packaged breads, pastries and cookies – can increase the risk of heart disease by as much as 5 percent. the risk of death from heart disease by as much as 12 percent.
Conversely, researchers found that participants who increased their intake of non-ultra-processed plant foods by 10 percent had a 7 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 13 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
“Our key finding is that a plant-based diet can improve your cardiovascular health, as long as it doesn’t rely on ultra-processed foods,” said the study’s lead author, Fernanda Rauber, PhD, a researcher at the Center for Epidemiological Research. in Nutrition and Health from the School of Public Health of the University of São Paulo in Brazil. “As more people adopt plant-based diets, it becomes critical to investigate the role of food processing within these dietary patterns, especially when it comes to cardiovascular disease.”
“The study challenges the common perception that plant-based foods are inherently healthier,” says Janna Assar, MD, a primary care physician at Banner Health in Phoenix. “It highlights that high levels of processing can negate the potential benefits of plant-based foods, highlighting the need to include food processing in dietary guidelines, and not just the origin of the food.”
Ultra-processed foods threaten heart health
Ultra-processed foods are often industrial formulations made by breaking down whole foods into chemical components, modifying them and then combining them with additives, according to Dr. Rauber.
She and her associates emphasize that processed plant foods high in unhealthy fats, sodium and added sugars can contribute to dyslipidemia (abnormal fat levels in the bloodstream), atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes. metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
Some of these plant foods may also contain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and food colorings, as well as contaminants from industrial processing that can cause heart risks.
Christopher Gardner, PhD, chairman of the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association’s Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health, points out that just because food is packaged doesn’t necessarily make it unhealthy.
He suggests that consumers check the nutrition labels on most packaged goods and look for products that are high in fiber and other nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fats and protein) but low in saturated fats, added sugars and sodium. .
“While it is always best to select fresh, unprocessed foods that are not in packaging that requires a nutrition label, we know this is not always possible for everyone,” said Dr. Gardner, who is also a professor in the nutritional sciences. medicine at Stanford University in California.
What about fake meat?
In this study, these types of foods only accounted for 0.2 percent of the total calories consumed, so no specific conclusions could be drawn regarding these types of products. Also, many meat alternatives, 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. warns. Assar that certain fake meats may also 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,” said Assar, who was not involved in this study.
The case against ultra-processed foods is growing
Because this was an observational analysis, cause and effect could not be established. Rauber and her team emphasize that the study only showed a link between heart disease and the consumption of plant-based, ultra-processed foods.
Furthermore, it is possible that participants inaccurately reported the types and amounts of food they consumed, or that their lifestyle factors contributed to these findings.
Still, 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 increases the risk of death from preventable diseases.
“I suggest basing your diet primarily on whole and minimally processed foods,” she says. When buying ready-made food or preparations, the best tip is to read the ingredients list. If it only contains ingredients that you recognize and often have in your kitchen, it is most likely made from real food and is not ultra-processed food.”