- Study finds no health improvement with vegan diet
- Plant-based meats don’t offer significant cardiac health benefits
- Synthetic meat consumption linked to higher blood pressure, sodium intake
A vegan diet will not enhance your health, according to one study.
A ‘clear benefit’ for cardiac health has not been identified in plant-based meat products, according to researchers.
It also appeared that those who consumed synthetic sausages, hamburgers, and mince had higher blood pressure than those who consumed meat.
The “health halo” associated with plant-based meats has been deemed unjustifiable by experts today, who also urge the food industry to “reevaluate the development of the next generation of meat alternatives.”
A lecturer in nutrition science at Bournemouth University and co-author of the study, Dr. Sumanto Haldar, stated, “At this time, the production of these plant-based meat alternatives frequently requires extensive processing.”
To achieve the same flavor and consistency as genuine meat products, the final products may contain excessive amounts of salt, saturated fat, and additives.
Furthermore, he stated, “It is evident that there are still numerous prospects for enhancing plant-based meat substitutes on the market so as to substantiate claims that these products offer superior health benefits.”
At present, the plant-based meat substitutes that are readily obtainable fail to provide equivalent health benefits as a conventional plant-based diet, which primarily comprises whole foods like legumes, whole cereals, fruits, and vegetables.
This motivates the food industry to reassess the advancement of subsequent iterations of meat substitute products, ensuring that they not only possess enhanced flavor characteristics but also improved nutritional qualities, while also remaining economically accessible to the general populace.
A total of eighty-two individuals who were at risk of developing type 2 diabetes were randomized for an eight-week trial into two dietary groups: carnivorous (42) and plant-based (40).
In place of meat, vegan participants consumed ultra-processed alternatives from the Vegetarian Butcher, Beyond Meat, Impossible Beef, and Omni Foods.
Six varieties of meat were delivered to the residences of meat eaters: pork and beef mince, chicken breasts, burger patties, poultry nuggets, and sausages.
Before commencing the study, blood tests were performed on the volunteers to evaluate their cardiometabolic health.
Individuals underwent real-time monitoring of their blood sugar levels using glucose monitors.
Following this, scientists performed a second blood test to track changes in cholesterol and other vital indicators of cardiac health.
Academics stated in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “No discernible differences were found between the groups that consumed plant-based meat and those that consumed animal-based meat with regard to traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors.”
Cholesterol in the diet decreased in both groups.
Meat consumers had the highest concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids (trans fats), whereas their sodium consumption decreased over eight weeks.
Conversely, it increased by 42.5 percent among consumers of synthetic meat.
Additionally, “moderate improvements” in blood pressure were observed in meat consumers, but not in plant-based diet participants.
Researchers added, “Despite the well-documented health benefits of traditional plant-based diets, these findings suggest that they should not be confused with plant-based meat diets.”
Vegans have increased their interest in a plant-based diet in recent years, citing health, environmental, and ethical concerns.
Determining the precise number of vegans in the United Kingdom at this time is nearly impossible.
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However, a recent survey estimated that approximately 600,000 individuals follow a plant-based diet, and another from 2021 stated that nearly one-third of Britons consume alternative milk.
Meatless Farm, a prominent retailer of synthetic meats in the United Kingdom, entered into administration last year.
Its plant-based mince, burgers, and poultry sold for £11 million in 2021, but the company struggled as demand for meat-free products declined.
Furthermore, in August, it was disclosed that Beyond Meat, a vegan brand, experienced a sales decline of nearly one-third due to the declining demand.
In the interim, according to research from The Grocer, the variety of meat-free products available in supermarkets decreased by 10% in the six months leading up to March 2023, as companies reduced their product lines.
