Named useful and harmful vegetarian products

Abandoning meat in the diet can be due to various reasons. Someone excludes animal products due to ethical principles, someone believes that they can be harmful, someone reduces the calorie content in this way. After conducting a new study, scientists came to the conclusion that switching to a plant-based diet may not always be without consequences, as not all vegetarian food is equally healthy.

“Our study shows that switching to a plant-based diet does not guarantee a healthier choice of food and, in turn, this can only harm health,” says the author of the study.

Most dietary studies define plant-based diets as “vegetarian” or “low-meat,” thereby treating all plant-based foods as equal. A unique aspect of the new work is the fact that it looked at the type of food consumed. This is how the authors defined Healthy plant foods, that is, the least processed, such as grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil and tea/coffee. And unhealthy plant foods are juices, sweetened drinks, potatoes, canned foods and any sweets, both chocolate and yogurt.

The study examined the relationship between the quantity and quality of plant-based foods and heart health over a 10-year period. The analysis was conducted among 146 obese participants who had normal blood pressure and good blood sugar levels. Volunteers were given special questionnaires, according to which their diet and eating habits were evaluated. The questionnaire listed 156 foods and beverages commonly consumed in Greece. The scientists also determined the size of the participants' portions.

As a result of the work, the scientists noticed that the quality of plant-based food affects health. Healthier choices were associated with maintaining normal blood pressure and normal blood lipid and sugar levels. Conversely, eating unhealthy plant-based foods was associated with increases in all measures.

The doctor says that eating less meat is good for heart health, especially when it's replaced with nutritious plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and olive oil. However, she noted that when switching to a plant-based diet, it is worth taking into account the quality of the products.