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Substituting one to two servings of meat or dairy with plant-based proteins every day reduces the risk of heart disease by five per cent, research suggests. Canadian researchers suggest swapping animal fats for foods such as soy, nuts and pulses – including dried peas and beans, lentils and chickpeas – can be beneficial.

They also said the health advantages could be even greater if people combined plant proteins with other cholesterol-lowering, high-fibre foods such oats, barley and psyllium.The findings add to a growing body of research championing a plant-based lifestyle, which also suggests it lowers the risk of certain cancers. Interest in veganism may have been fuelled by celebrities including Jared Leto, Gwyneth Paltrow and Mike Tyson. Recent research linked it to Beyoncé hitting the headlines when she briefly adopted the diet along with her husband rapper Jay Z.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death globally, according the the World Health Organization. An estimated 17.7 million people died from CVDs in 2015, representing 31 per cent of all worldwide deaths.Canadian researchers found substituting one to two servings of meat or dairy with plant-based proteins every day reduces the risk of heart disease by 5%

Canadian researchers found substituting one to two servings of meat or dairy with plant-based proteins every day reduces the risk of heart disease by 5%

How the research was carried out

Dr John Sievenpiper from St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto led a review of 112 published trials in which people substituted plant proteins for some animal proteins in their diets for at least three weeks. The study looked at the impact of on three key markers for cholesterol. This included low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) – known as ‘bad’ cholesterol – which contributes to fatty buildups in arteries and raises the risk for heart attack and stroke.It also looked at non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) – which is total cholesterol minus HDL or healthy/good cholesterol – and apolipoprotein B – the proteins in bad cholesterol that clog arteries.

‘That may not sound like much, but because people in North America eat very little plant protein, there is a real opportunity here to make some small changes to our diets and realize the health benefits,’ said the clinician scientist with the hospital’s Clinical Nutrition and Risk Modification Centre.

‘We are seeing a major interest in plant-based diets from Mediterranean to vegetarian diets in the supermarket and the clinic, and this comprehensive analysis of the highest level of evidence from randomized trials provides us with more confidence that these diets are heart healthy.’

The results were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

THE CASE FOR AND AGAINST A VEGAN DIET

The evidence for

Advocates of plant-based eating say vegans typically have lower levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, a lower body mass index, and reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer. A study published last month suggests eating a vegetarian diet slashes the risk of heart failure by almost half.

Those who swap processed meats and fatty foods for a mostly plant-based diet are 42 per cent less likely to develop heart failure, it was found. A diet which includes whole grains, fish, beans, and dark green leafy plants lead to a heart-healthy lifestyle, scientists from Icahn School of Medicine in New York said.

Previously, scientists at the University of Ghent found that swapping dairy for soya products could substantially reduce a person’s risk of getting cancer.Among those eating a soya-rich diet, the risk of developing colon cancer is reduced by 44 per cent in women and 40 per cent in men, the research revealed back in April

Women who swap dairy for soya have a 42 per cent lesser risk of getting stomach cancer, while men’s risk is reduced by 29 per cent, the study found.Cutting out dairy also reduces men’s prostate cancer risk by 30 per cent, the research adds. And in August, French scientists discovered that consuming processed meat can even worsen symptoms of asthma.

Research suggests that veganism is on the rise in recent years

The case against

However, London-based nutritionist Rob Hobson warns cutting out milk and dairy increases the risk of serious health problems like osteoporosis later in life. He told MailOnline: ‘The problem is that milk and dairy products are an important source of several key nutrients.’Cutting out on the foods reduces the intake of calcium and iodine – raising the risk of deficiencies.

‘Dairy products are also a useful source of iodine – a micronutrient important for women during pregnancy and young children that contributes to growth and brain development.

‘Our bones continue to grow until we reach our mid thirty and during this time it’s important to make sure diets contain enough calcium.’

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) found a large number of young people are failing to get enough calcium in their diets to meet their needs.

The NDNS found 22 per cent of girls aged 11 to 18 and 10 per cent of adult women in the UK don’t get enough iodine in their diet.

Source: Swapping meat for plant-based protein cuts heart disease | Daily Mail Online

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