Khaberni - Khaberni - A new study has shown that a diet relying on processed plant foods increases the risk of heart disease, unlike healthy plant-based systems that rely on whole and fresh foods.
Plant-based diets have long been praised for their fiber and essential nutrients, but the new study shows that these benefits disappear when these diets rely on ultra-processed foods, which often contain preservatives, fats, and added sugar.
The study followed more than 63800 middle-aged adults in France over more than nine years. The results showed that people who followed a complete and unprocessed plant-based diet were 44% less likely to develop coronary heart disease compared to others.
Conversely, relying on a plant-based diet on ultra-processed foods increased the risk of developing coronary heart disease by 46%, and cardiovascular diseases in general by 38%. These participants were likely to consume supermarket bread, ready-made pasta dishes, canned soups, and ready-made salads with heavy sauces.
The lead researcher in the study, Clémentine Brio, from Sorbonne University, said: "Our results show that reducing animal product consumption alone is not enough. We must also focus on consuming unprocessed plant foods to maintain heart health."
The researchers noted that food quality and processing method are more important than whether they are plant-based or animal-based. People who consumed some animal products and avoided ultra-processed foods were not more prone to heart disease compared to those who followed a healthy plant-based diet based on whole foods.
The data was based on the French NutriNet–Santé study, which recorded participants' diets periodically using detailed dietary logs, considering factors such as smoking, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors. Foods were classified according to the degree of processing using the NOVA system, which distinguishes between unprocessed, minimally processed, and heavily or ultra-processed foods.
Experts recommend reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods, whether plant-based or animal-based, and focusing on fresh, whole foods, alongside a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and avoiding smoking, to reduce the risks of heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.
The study was published in the journal "Lancet".
