Eating a vegetarian or mostly plant-based diet is associated with a number of health benefits. But simply being vegetarian is not enough to reap those benefits, the quality of the food matters too. This is evident from new research into the health effects of eating a plant-based diet and how food quality influences these effects.
Evidence suggests that a plant-based diet lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease
In a study of nearly 6,000 people in the Netherlands, those who ate more plant-based protein at the expense of animal-derived protein had a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease during a median follow-up period of more than 13 years .
Eating more plant-based protein, less animal-derived protein associated with less plaque in the arteries
A study of 4,500 Brazilian adults finds that people who regularly consumed more vegetable protein were nearly 60 percent less likely than those who consumed more animal protein to show evidence of plaque in the arteries of the heart based on coronary calcium score , a measure of plaque buildup often used to assess cardiovascular disease risk.
Vegetarian diet associated with reduced risk factors for heart disease and diabetes
Of South Asians living in the US, people who followed a vegetarian diet were found to have a lower number of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, including a lower body mass index, smaller waist circumference and lower amounts of belly fat, lower cholesterol levels and lower blood sugar levels compared with people in the same demographic group who ate meat.
Eating healthy, plant-based foods associated with less weight gain
An analysis of body weight changes in more than 125,000 adults over a 4-year period shows that plant-based diets rich in high-quality plant foods (such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts) were associated with less weight gain, while a higher intake of unhealthy plant foods (such as sweets, refined grains and french fries) was associated with significantly greater weight gain.
Eating higher quality plant-based foods is associated with a lower mortality risk
A study of nearly 30,000 adults in the United States reinforces evidence that a better-quality diet helps you live longer and suggests that the quality of plant-based foods in the diet is more important than the quality of animal-based foods . Better choices in the plant-based components of the diet reduced mortality by 30 percent, while better quality animal components had little effect on mortality. The beneficial effect of high-quality plant foods was even more pronounced in people with chronic health conditions.
