Heart health benefits from plant-based diets

A new study has found that vegetarian and vegan diets can significantly reduce levels of cholesterol and fats in the blood, decreasing the risk of heart attacks. Researchers in Denmark reviewed 30 trials since 1982 in which volunteers were given a set diet and tracked for heart health. In total, almost 2,400 people from around the world were involved. The study found that vegetarian and vegan diets cut bad cholesterol by 10%, total cholesterol by 7%, and the main protein in bad cholesterol by 14%. The results were described as “really substantial,” equivalent to about a third of the effect of taking daily cholesterol-lowering drugs. The World Health Organization estimates that cardiovascular disease kills nearly 18 million people every year. However, the study’s author, Prof Ruth Frikke-Schmidt, warned that anyone following a plant-based diet should not come off prescribed drugs because they are at risk of heart disease. It is also worth noting that people in the trials were given healthy vegetarian and vegan meals, which are very different to heavily processed meat-free foods such as sweets and crisps. Some experts have also cautioned that meat and dairy have their own health benefits and that not all meat-free diets are healthy. The important message, Prof Frikke-Schmidt said, is to eat a plant-based diet, which is good for both health and the environment, but this should be balanced and varied.