Plant-based meats: what are they doing to your heart health?

According to The Daily Mail, the concerns regarding an increased risk of diabetes are supported by previous research conducted in Poznań. Yet, they did not reference the study in the article. One study from Poznań University of Medical Sciences compared fast food meals from plant- and animal-based products. However, as it focuses on menus from fast-food restaurants, it doesn’t address the health effects of incorporating plant-based meats into one’s diet.

Additionally, a 2024 study published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health–Europe, found that plant-based alternatives (milk and meat combined) were associated with lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

CLAIM 2 - "Plant-based products could negatively impact heart health.”

Specific plant-based meat alternatives can contain high salt levels and are heavily processed. The media often use this to suggest that eating these products could increase the risk of heart problems. For example, “spikes” in sodium intake among “fake meat eaters” are quoted by The Daily Mail, alongside a lack of improvement in blood pressure. 

Several factors can increase the risk of developing heart disease, including diabetes, high LDL cholesterol, and high blood pressure. In this study, there were no significant effects on the lipid profile (including LDL cholesterol) between the animal-based and plant-based groups.

The claim that plant-based diets could negatively affect heart health partially stems from the interpretation of findings on blood pressure. For example, The Daily Mail wrote “‘modest improvements’ in blood pressure were noted in the meat-eaters but not those on a plant-based diet.” These modest improvements concerned nocturnal systolic and diastolic blood pressure dip. However, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology do not count these nocturnal blood pressure changes as significant as health risks, as noted in the study. The study also found that those following a plant-based meat diet (PBMD) had lower diastolic blood pressure (DBP) than the animal-based meat group, which doesn’t appear in The Daily Mail’s coverage.

Overall, the results do not suggest that plant-based meats increase the risk of heart problems.

Additionally, a recent review of studies examining the impacts of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) on heart health found that the evidence supports the idea that replacing meat with PBMAs is likely a more heart-healthy choice. However, more long-term studies assessing the risk of having a heart attack or stroke amongst people who regularly consume PBMAs would support more robust conclusions about these foods. 

CLAIM 3 - “Plant-based meats aren’t healthier than the products they aim to replace."

The available data comparing animal-based and plant-based alternatives does not suggest that plant-based meats are “worse for your health.” This is a broad claim that requires further evidence.

The SWAP-MEAT study compared the effects of plant and animal meat products. The results suggest that plant meats offer some heart health advantages, as they found LDL-cholesterol concentrations and body weight were lower when consuming plant-based meats. Despite this, the more recent study found few differences between the two diets; the 8-week plant diet didn’t show widespread cardiometabolic health benefits compared with a corresponding meat-based diet, which is what seems to have led to headlines stating that PBMDs are “worse for your health.” This does not mean that we should dismiss either study, or that plant meats are worse for you; it just means we have some mixed results so far.

We also have evidence to suggest a link between red and processed meat consumption and increased risks of diabetes and heart disease, suggesting healthier alternatives could exist. A recent review of 93 studies concluded that carefully selected, specific plant-based alternatives have the potential to be healthier and nutrient-rich alternatives to animal-based foods. There is a vast diversity in the available meat alternatives, so it’s therefore essential to know how to select plant-based options:

CLAIM 4 - A “vegan diet is not healthier.”

Such headlines have the potential to be misleading because they conflate “vegan food” and “vegan diets” with a few “ultra-processed substitutes,” which constitute a small proportion of what vegan food is. Research highlights that a healthy plant-based diet is associated with better health outcomes, whereas an unhealthy plant-based diet is associated with worse health outcomes. The evidence is particularly compelling when it comes to cardiovascular health. 

Some media outlets have misrepresented this and similar studies by overlooking that plant-based meat typically makes up only a small part of a plant-based diet. In a trial, it’s necessary for the food being studied to account for a significant portion of the participants' calorie intake; otherwise, the results could be inconclusive. However, this does not mean that plant-based meats are intended to replace meat in a one-to-one ratio based on the quantities people currently consume. Instead, these products can serve as a helpful transition tool toward plant-based diets, alongside a greater emphasis on whole plant protein sources.

The bottom line

Plant-based meats offer a practical way to transition to a more plant-centered diet. They can be incorporated as part of a balanced, healthy diet that favours whole foods. Sensational headlines tend to oversimplify issues, which can, in the long run, hinder the transition towards plant-centred diets.