Vegan is not enough: ultra-processed vegetables kill (almost) as much as meat
The study in the Lancet: to be healthy, foods must be fresh and whole. It's the workmanship that makes the difference"
ROME – No, vegan is not enough. To be healthy, foods must also be as fresh and whole-grain as possible. Because more than the nature of the food itself, it is its processing that makes the difference. A study, published < /a>on Lancet, conducted by the University of Sao Paulo and Imperial College London (funded by the World Cancer Research Fund), highlighted that ultra-processed vegan food can increase the risk of cardiac death almost as much as its non-processed counterpart -vegetable.
The research was conducted on 118,000 middle-aged and elderly British citizens, integrating data with hospital data over almost a decade. He essentially found that plant-based diets can protect the heart, but only if they are based on whole foods. Every 10% increase in plant-based foods was associated with a 20% reduction in heart disease deaths if the food was not ultra-processed. However, when the increase came from plant-based UPF foods, it was linked to a 12% increase in such deaths. Replacing plant-based UPF foods with fruits, vegetables and other whole foods reduces deaths from all cardiovascular diseases by 15% and the risk of developing such diseases by 7%.
Lead author of the study, Dr Fernanda Rauber, said that composition and processing methods are key: “Food additives and industrial contaminants present in these foods could cause oxidative stress and inflammation, further exacerbating the risks . Those moving towards plant-based foods should also think about the degree of processing involved before making their choices.”
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