Vegetarian food is not equally healthy, according to research recently presented at ESC Congress 2020. Most nutritional research simply defines plant-based diets as “vegetarian” or “low-meat,” treating all plant-based foods equally. The uniqueness of this study was that, in addition to the total amount, it also looked at the type of plant food that was consumed. Healthy plant-based products were essentially the least processed foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, and tea/coffee. Unhealthy vegetable products consisted of juices, sweetened drinks, refined grains, potatoes and all kinds of sweets (e.g. chocolate, Greek traditional desserts, etc.).
“Our study highlights the variable nutritional quality of plant foods,” said author Dr. Matina Kouvari of Harokopio University, Athens, Greece. “This finding was more evident in women. Previous research has shown that women tend to eat more plant-based foods and fewer animal products than men. But our study suggests that this does not guarantee healthier food choices and, in turn, better health status. ”
The study examined the association between the amount and quality of plant-based foods and heart health over a 10-year period.
In 2001 and 2002, the ATTICA study randomly selected a sample of adults living in Athens who did not have cardiovascular disease or other chronic conditions. The current analysis was conducted in 146 obese participants with normal blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar levels. Diet was assessed using a questionnaire about habitual habits in the previous year. It listed 156 foods and drinks commonly consumed in Greece, with photos to help determine portion sizes.
Within a decade, nearly half of these obese participants had developed high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high blood sugars — a combination that is particularly risky for heart health.
Men who consumed more plant foods were less likely to experience this decline in health. A trend was also observed in women, but it did not reach statistical significance.
In terms of plant food quality, healthier choices were linked to maintaining normal blood pressure, blood lipids and blood sugar. Conversely, consuming unhealthy plant foods was associated with developing high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high blood sugars. These relationships were stronger in women than in men.
dr. Kouvari said:“Eating less meat is beneficial for heart health, especially when replaced with nutritious plant foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and olive oil.”
She noted that the analysis was conducted in obese individuals and the findings should not be extended to other weight categories.
