Plant-Based Ultra-processed Foods Linked to Heart Disease and Early Death, Study Reports

According to a study published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health, Ultra-processed foods made from plants increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 5% while increasing the risk of early death by 13%.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of premature mortality across the globe, contributing to 18.6 million deaths.

Unprocessed foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, and milk. Minimally processed foods encompass culinary ingredients like salt, herbs, and oils, as well as canned goods and frozen vegetables that combine these ingredients with unprocessed foods. Ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, undergo multiple industrial processes such as heating, nutrient and protein extraction, molding, and compression. These foods often contain added chemicals to alter their color, smell, taste, and texture.

Designed to be hyper-palatable, ultra-processed foods are typically very convenient, requiring little to no preparation time. Modern plant-based diets may feature a variety of these ultra-processed foods, including sugar-sweetened beverages, snacks, confectionery, and 'plant-based' sausages, nuggets, and burgers, which are marketed as meat and dairy substitutes but are made from plant-derived ingredients.

In the study, researchers utilised data from the UK Biobank participants who completed at least two 24-h dietary recalls between 2009 and 2012 with subsequent data linkage to hospital and mortality records. Food groups were classified as either plant-sourced or non-plant/animal-sourced foods. These groups were further divided into non-UPF and UPF, and expressed as a percentage of total energy intake.

The results showed that every 10 percentage points increase in plant-sourced non-UPF consumption was associated with a 7% lower risk of CVD and a 13% lower risk of CVD mortality. Conversely, plant-sourced UPF consumption was associated with a 5% increased risk and a 12% higher mortality.

The findings revealed that consumption of all UPF was linked to higher CVD risk and mortality. The dietary contribution of plant-sourced non-UPF is inversely linked to CVD risk, while plant-sourced UPF contribution showed a positive association.

Reference: Fernanda Rauber, Maria Laura da Costa Louzada, Kiara Chang, Inge Huybrechts, Marc J. Gunter, Carlos Augusto Monteiro, et al.; Implications of food ultra-processing on cardiovascular risk considering plant origin foods: an analysis of the UK Biobank cohort; The Lancet Regional Health- Europe; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.100948