Plant-based meat alternatives may be more heart-healthy than real meat | Wilnesh News

A new report suggests that plant-based meat alternatives, despite being ultra-processed, may be healthier for the heart than meat.

A review of previous research finds that risk factors for heart disease, including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol According to the paper published Wednesday in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, body weight and weight are improved when various animal-based meats are replaced with plant-based alternatives.

“Plant-based meats are a healthy alternative and are clearly associated with reduced cardiovascular risk factors,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Ehud Uhl, a professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

The new study, which reviewed studies published between 1970 and 2023, also found that meat alternatives vary greatly in their nutritional content, such as their sodium and saturated fat content.

One clinical trial cited by the researchers found that when participants consumed plant-based alternatives, they lowered total cholesterol by 13%, LDL cholesterol by 9%, triglycerides by 53%, and HDL cholesterol by 53%. Lipoprotein cholesterol increased by 11%.

Wuerl and his colleagues focused on two burger brands—one that was older and one that was newer and closer to the taste of beef. The saturated fat content of the old brand’s burgers is 6% of the recommended daily intake, while the new company’s burgers are 30%. Likewise, the old brand had 0% cholesterol, while the new brand has an RDA of 27%.

This new report adds another layer to the question of how plant-based burgers affect health.

Most meat substitutes are highly processed. Ultra-processed foods tend to be low in fiber and high in salt, sugar, and additives, and are associated with Higher risk of heart disease and premature death.

A study published this month The Lancet Regional Health – Europe It is suggested that eating plant-based ultra-processed foods, including meat substitutes, may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, the study did not directly compare meat substitutes to actual meat.

Wuerl countered that not all ultra-processed foods are unhealthy and that the term should not be the “kiss of death” for food.

“Disposal, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing,” Uhl said. “It’s true that these plant-based meats are highly processed, but it’s not that they contain high amounts of saturated fat or certain carbohydrates that cause adverse consequences.”

Wuerl said a randomized trial is needed to compare heart disease and stroke in people who eat meat substitutes versus regular meat eaters.

“Obviously, it may be difficult to conduct a double-blind trial because people may be able to tell whether they are eating meat or a substitute,” he said. “But some of the newer plant-based meats taste very close to real meat.”

Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said that while some plant-based alternatives may be better for the heart than meat, “generally speaking, the best option is to eat the whole plant Sex food”. food. “

According to Willett, the healthiest natural foods are combinations of the following ingredients:

• nut
• seed
• Soy foods and other legume foods
• whole grains
• vegetable
• fruit
• Liquid vegetable oil, such as olive oil

A vegetarian or pescatarian diet “includes moderate amounts of dairy products, eggs and fish twice a week,” Willett said.

But not everyone is ready. “So I do think there’s room for ultra-processed foods,” he said.

he pointed a study Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2020, participants consumed meat for eight weeks and plant-based meat alternatives for eight weeks.

When participants ate meat substitutes, “cholesterol and blood pressure dropped by about 10 percent, which is pretty substantial,” Willett said. “Something may fall within the definition of ultra-processed, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.”

Marie-Pierre Saint-Onge, associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said people need to consider the differences in plant-based meat alternatives. For example, the amount of saturated fat in a meat substitute depends on the brand.

“Consumers need to be more knowledgeable and knowledgeable about nutritional facts,” St. Onge said. “If a plant-based burger represents 35 to 40 percent of your daily sodium intake, it’s not a good choice for you if you have high blood pressure.”

Dr. Anurala, director of heart failure research at Mount Sinai Foster Heart Hospital in New York, said longer follow-up studies are needed to determine whether plant-based meat alternatives are healthier.

“It takes a concerted effort – just like before mediterranean diet —Learn about plant-based eating plans and their long-term effects,” Lara said.

For healthier options, she recommends checking the labels of meat alternatives:

• sodium content
• Saturated fat content
• Protein source, such as peas or soybeans
• Gluten, suitable for people with sensitivities
• artificial sweeteners

People are desperate for simple solutions and trying to identify specific dietary interventions, Lara said, but individual foods don’t make an overall diet healthier.

“We need to take a holistic approach, including a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables and including exercise,” she said.