Study: Plant-based ultra-processed foods linked to heart disease, death

[KARAH RUCKER]

WE’VE ALL HEARD EATING A PLANT-BASED DIET IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH… BUT IT TURNS OUT – THAT’S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. 

A NEW STUDY BACKED BY THE WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND FOUND NOT ALL PLANT-BASED DIETS ARE CREATED EQUAL… AND ULTRA-PROCESSED PLANT-BASED FOODS – LIKE POPULAR VEGAN MEAT AND DAIRY REPLACEMENTS – COULD BE PUTTING YOUR LIFE AT RISK. 

SCIENTISTS FOUND OPTING FOR PLANT-DERIVED FOODS THAT ARE ULTRA-PROCESSED INCREASES THE RISK OF HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES. 

THAT MEANS IF YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING YOUR HEART A FAVOR BY CHOOSING A VEGGIE BURGER INSTEAD OF BEEF… YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK AGAIN. 

RESEARCHERS STUDIED MORE THAN 118-THOUSAND PEOPLES’ DIETS – AND FOUND THOSE WHO REGULARLY GO FOR PLANT-BASED BUT ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD ARE 15 PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER A HEART ATTACK OR STROKE THAN THOSE CHOOSE DON’T CHOOSE THE ULTRA-PROCESSED CHOICES. 

THAT’S BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL PACKED WITH FAT, SALT, AND SUGAR. 

WHILE ULTRA-PROCESSED JUNK FOODS HAVE LONG BEEN LINKED TO HEALTH CONCERNS… THE STUDY’S AUTHORS SAY IT’S THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO LINK *PLANT-BASED* ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS TO INCREASED RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. 

RESEARCHERS DID FIND EATING JUST 10 PERCENT MORE UNPROCESSED VEGETARIAN FOODS – LIKE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES – LOWERED THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE BY 8 PERCENT. 

THEY ALSO FOUND THOSE WHO ATE THE FEWEST ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS HAD A 13 PERCENT LOWER RISK OF DYING OF ANY CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES.