We often hear that a plant-based diet can help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and help us live longer, while helping the planet. That's true unless we're talking about ultra-processed plant foods. Like frozen pizza, donuts, or French fries.
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The study, published in The Lancet, used data from the UK Biobank. More than 118,000 people aged 40 to 69 answered questions about their diets. The scientists linked this information with hospital records and records of death from cardiovascular risk factors.
The study found that ultra-processed plant foods increased the risk of heart disease by 5% and the risk of early death by 13%.
The researchers also found that every 10% replacement of ultra-processed plant foods with fresh, frozen, or minimally processed plants reduced the risk of heart disease by 7%, while also reducing the risk of dying from heart disease by 13%.
“We can't always assume that plant-based means healthy, because, after all, sugar comes from plants. Many animal-free foods, including biscuits, crisps, confectionery and soft drinks, are technically plant-based, but most people don't consider them a necessary part of a healthy diet,” said Dwayne Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior research fellow at Aston Medical School in Birmingham, UK.