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Eating plant-based meat alternatives may significantly reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as cholesterol levels and blood pressure, according to a comprehensive review of research published from 1970 to 2023. These findings were detailed in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
Plant-based meat alternatives are highly processed plant-based food products designed to replace meat in the diet. Despite their variability in contents and nutritional profiles, these alternatives generally reflect a heart-healthy dietary pattern.
“While the plant-based meat market has experienced significant growth in recent years and more and more people are enjoying plant-based burgers, surprisingly little is known about how these meat alternatives may impact health and in particular cardiovascular disease risk,” said lead author Matthew Nagra from the University of British Columbia, Canada. “Thus, we sought to review the available literature on the topic to identify what is currently known and to provide direction for future research,” he added.
The researchers analyzed studies published over five decades on plant-based meat alternatives, focusing on their contents, nutritional profiles, and impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Their analysis revealed that, on average, plant-based alternatives tend to have a more heart-healthy nutritional profile than meat, although the high sodium content of some products may be concerning.
Despite concerns about sodium, these alternatives do not raise blood pressure and have been shown to improve some cardiovascular risk factors, including cholesterol levels, in several randomized controlled trials. “There is currently a lack of long-term research evaluating how these alternatives may affect the risk of developing a heart attack or stroke,” the researchers noted.
“For those looking to reduce their meat intake, especially if it’s red meat, replacing that with plant-based alternatives is likely a heart-healthy choice,” said Ehud Ur, Professor at the University of British Columbia. “For those who already limit their meat intake, the alternatives can be incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern as an excellent protein source; however, it may be beneficial to choose options that are lower in saturated fat and sodium if consuming them regularly,” he added.
This review highlights the potential heart health benefits of plant-based meat alternatives and underscores the need for further research to understand their long-term impacts fully.
