Plant-based diets are better for your health and climate

Vegetarian and vegan diets are linked to lower levels of cholesterol and fats in your blood, according to an analysis of all the evidence from randomised trials published since 1982.

The authors of the study, which is published in the European Heart Journal say this means that plant-based diets can play a significant role in reducing blocked arteries, thereby lowering the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, such as stroke and heart attacks.

The researchers looked at 30 randomised trials with a total of 2,372 participants, published between 1982 and 2022, that quantified the effect of vegetarian or vegan diets versus omnivorous diets on levels of all types of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , triglycerides and apoliprotein B.

The participants in the 30 studies were randomised to follow either a vegetarian or vegan diet or to continue with an omnivorous diet (which includes meat and dairy products). The length of time on the diets ranged from ten days to five years, with an average of 29 weeks.

Compared to people eating an omnivorous diet, those who were following a plant-based diet experienced an average reduction in total cholesterol levels of 7% from levels measured at the start of the studies, a 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol levels and a 14% reduction in apoB levels.

Reference:

Vegetarian or vegan diets and blood lipids: a meta-analysis of randomized trials,European Heart Journal, DOI 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad211