Six in 10 adults have high cholesterol, which can lead to narrowing of the arteries, heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and peripheral arterial disease.
One of the main causes of high cholesterol is fatty foods – such as processed meats like burgers and sausages but, according to a new study from Warwick University, swapping these processed meats for their plant-based alternatives can lower your cholesterol.
Until now, it was common knowledge that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds could reduce risk factors for CVD – including blood pressure, cholesterol and body weight. Now the researchers at Warwick University believe that replacing meat in your diet with plant-based alternatives can lower cholesterol levels, which could reduce your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular disease.
Reduced risk of developing heart disease by 25% over a two year period
The researchers reviewed 12 studies that included 459 participants with a focus on the effects of alternative meat consumption on cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and body weight, studied in controlled trials.
Lead author Joshua Gibbs said that elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (bad cholesterol) can lead to the build up of fatty plaques in the arteries which can restrict blood flow and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
He added, “An LDL cholesterol reduction of the scale caused by meat alternative consumption would reduce the risk of developing heart disease by about 25% over a two-year period.”
Reducing meat intake is good for the environment, too
Not only is reducing meat consumption good for the body, it’s good for the environment, too! According to the National Library of Medicine, transitioning to plant-based diets has the potential to reduce diet-related land use by 76% and diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 49%.
Additionally, UCLA has stated that if everybody switched to plant-based diets, we’d be saving at least 50% of water use.
Looking to make some plant-based changes to your diet?
Lead author Gibbs advises that, “People interested in making the switch to meat alternatives should try to avoid regularly consuming products that are high in saturated fat and salt as these ingredients may undermine the cardiovascular health benefits observed in our study.”
Additionally, the NHS recommends following their Eatwell guide but of course, without the meat or fish.