We hear quite a bit about ultra-processed foods and the health effects of eating an excessive amount of of them. We also know that plant-based foods are popular for health or other reasons.
So this shouldn’t be surprising recent research This week’s information on the health effects of ultra-processed plant-based foods will attract global attention.
The headlines could be scary when the research and publicity surrounding them suggests that eating these foods increases your risk of heart disease, stroke or premature death.
Here’s how some media outlets interpreted the study. Daily Mail. ran with: :
Study Suggests Vegan Fake Meats Are Linked to Rise in Heart Disease Deaths: Experts Say Plant-Based Diets Can Improve Health – But NOT If They’re Ultra-Processed
New York Post. heading was:
Vegan fake meats linked to heart disease and premature death: study
However, after we have a look at the study itself, it seems that the media reports concentrate on a small aspect of the study and are misleading.
So does eating plant-based burgers and other ultra-processed plant-based foods from the supermarket really increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death?
Here’s what led us to conduct the study and what it actually found.
Remind me what ultra-processed food is?
Ultra-processed food processed and reformulated with additives to enhance taste, durability and attractiveness. These include every thing from packaged pasta cheeses and pork sausages to supermarket cakes and plant-based mince.
There is now strong and extensive evidence showing that ultra-processed foods are linked to: increased risk many chronic physical and mental illnesses.
Though researchers the query is what food products needs to be counted as ultra-processed or in the event that they are all linked to poorer health, the consensus is that we should always eat less of them overall.
We also know that plant-based diets are very talked-about. They are related to reduced risk chronic conditions resembling heart disease and stroke, cancer and diabetes. Supermarkets offer more plant-based, ultra-processed foods.
What about the recent study?
The test looked for any health differences between eating ultra-processed plant foods versus eating ultra-processed non-plant foods. Scientists focused on the risk of heart problems (resembling heart disease and stroke) and death from it.
In this study, ultra-processed plant-based foods included mass-produced packaged bread, cookies, rolls, cakes, pastries, cereals, and meat alternatives (fake meat). Ultra-processed foods that weren’t plant-based included milk-based drinks and desserts, sausages, nuggets and other reconstituted meat products.
The researchers used data from the British Biobank. This is a big biomedical database containing unidentified genetic, lifestyle (weight loss program and exercise) and health information, in addition to biological samples from half one million UK participants. This database allows researchers to find out links between this data and a big selection of diseases, including heart disease and stroke.
They used data from almost 127,000 individuals who detailed their diets between 2009 and 2012. The researchers linked this to their hospital records and death records. The researchers monitored each participant’s weight loss program and health for a mean of nine years.
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What did the study show?
Every 10% increase in total energy from ultra-processed plant-based foods was related to a 5% increased risk of heart problems (resembling heart disease or stroke) and a 12% greater risk of death from heart problems.
However, each 10% increase in consumption of unprocessed plant-based foods was related to a 7% lower risk of heart problems and a 13% lower risk of death from heart problems.
Scientists found no evidence of an association between whole plant-based foods (no matter whether or not they were ultra-processed or not) and an increased or decreased risk of heart problems or death from them.
It was an observational study wherein people used questionnaires to recall their weight loss program. When combined with other data, this could only tell us whether someone’s weight loss program is at particular risk of health effects. So we won’t say that on this case ultra-processed food caused heart disease and heart disease deaths.
Why is the media focused on fake meat?
Most media reports have focused on the obvious health risks related to eating fake meats resembling sausages, hamburgers, nuggets and even steaks.
They are considered ultra-processed foods. They are made by breaking down whole plant foods resembling peas, soy, wheat protein, nuts and mushrooms and extracting the protein. They are then reformulated with additives to make the products look, taste and feel like traditional red and white meats.
However, on this study, it was only one variety of ultra-processed plant-based food. This represented only a mean of 0.2% of the dietary energy intake of all participants.
Compare this to bread, cookies, rolls, cakes and biscuits, that are other sorts of ultra-processed plant-based foods. They accounted for 20.7% of the total energy intake in the study.
Screenshot/Imperial
It’s hard to say why the media focused on fake meat. But there’s one clue in Press Release issued to advertise research.
While the press release didn’t mention the phrase “fake meat,” images of plant-based burgers, sausages, and meatballs or rissoles were prominently featured.
The introduction to the study itself also mentioned plant-based, ultra-processed foods resembling sausages, nuggets and burgers.
So it’s no wonder people can get confused.
Does this mean fake meat is okay?
Not necessarily. This study analyzed total consumption of plant-based, ultra-processed foods, including fake meats, although they make up a really small percentage of individuals’s diets.
Based on this study alone, we cannot tell whether someone would have eaten large amounts of faux meat if the final result had been different.
In fact, a last review of the fake meats found, there was insufficient evidence to find out their health effects.
We also need more moderen data to reflect current patterns of eating fake meat. The study used dietary data collected between 2009 and 2012, and since then fake meat has turn out to be increasingly popular.
What if I really like fake meat?
We have known for an extended time that ultra-processed food could be harmful to our health. This study shows that whether ultra-processed foods are plant-based or not, they could be harmful.
We know that fake meat may contain large amounts of saturated fat (from coconut or palm oil), salt and sugar.
Like other ultra-processed foods, they needs to be eaten rarely. The Australian Dietary Guidelines now recommends that individuals eat a majority of these foods only occasionally and in small amounts.
Are some fake meats healthier than others?
Check labels and nutrition facts panels. Look for products with the lowest fat and salt content. Hamburgers and sausages which can be “pressed dough” from ground ingredients resembling nuts, beans and vegetables can be higher than reformulated products that look similar to meat.
You can even eat healthful protein products of plant origin, resembling legumes. These include beans, lentils, chickpeas and soy. In addition to being wealthy in protein and fiber, additionally they provide essential nutrients resembling iron and zinc. Using spices and mushrooms in your recipes can recreate the umami flavor related to meat.