Plant-Based Meats May Pose a Real Health Risk
A new study has confirmed that transitioning to a plant-based diet may not be beneficial for health, as researchers found that plant-based meat products did not show clear benefits for heart health, raising questions about their alleged benefits.
Experts described claims that plant-based meats are healthy as “unsubstantiated” and urged food manufacturers to reassess them to develop other alternative meat products.
Scientists noted that individuals who consumed plant-based meat products such as sausages, burgers, and minced meat had worse blood pressure levels than those who consumed natural meats, indicating that these alternatives may carry health risks.
Experts called for a reassessment and development of alternative meat products, emphasizing the need to understand the differences between a plant-based diet and diets that include plant-based meats to avoid confusion.
Eighty-two individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes participated in an 8-week dietary experiment, divided into two groups: one group following a meat-inclusive diet (42 individuals) and another group following a plant-based diet consuming plant-based meats (40 individuals).
The results confirmed no clear differences between the meat-based diet and plant-based meat groups regarding the risk of heart and vascular diseases.
Furthermore, researchers confirmed “modest improvements” in blood pressure among those following a meat-inclusive diet, while this improvement was not observed among those following a plant-based diet.
In conclusion, scientists emphasized the importance of understanding the health benefits of plant-based diets and differentiating them from plant-based meat diets, which contain high levels of sodium, a major enemy of human health.
