A recent comprehensive review, published in the journal BMC Medicine, suggests that substituting processed and animal-based foods with plant-based alternatives like nuts and legumes may significantly reduce the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Conducted by researchers from various German institutions, the study analyzed data from 37 earlier studies, making it the first systematic review to encompass a broad spectrum of health outcomes associated with such dietary changes.
Sabrina Schlesinger, head of the systematic reviews research group at the German Diabetes Center in Düsseldorf and the senior author of the paper, emphasized the potential health benefits of incorporating more plant-based foods into the diet. Registered dietitian Duane Mellor, a senior teaching fellow at the Aston Medical School in Birmingham, UK, commented that the review aligns with existing dietary guidelines, contributing to a growing body of evidence supporting the advantages of plant-based diets.
Previous studies have already indicated health benefits associated with plant-based diets, including a 7% decline in total cholesterol for those following a plant-based diet compared to omnivores and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The current review specifically observed a 27% reduction in the overall incidence of heart disease when 50 grams of processed meat per day was replaced with 28 to 50 grams of nuts per day. Similarly, swapping processed meat with the same quantity of legumes resulted in a 23% reduction. A 22% reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes was associated with replacing 50 grams of processed meat with 10 to 28 grams of nuts daily.
The study also found that replacing butter with olive oil and eggs with nuts demonstrated a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. However, replacing other animal products, such as dairy, fish, seafood, or poultry, did not show a clear association with a lower incidence of heart disease.
While the study emphasizes the association and doesn’t establish a causal link, it provides potential explanations for the observed trends. Processed meat, defined by the World Health Organization, contains saturated fatty acids that may increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Conversely, nuts, legumes, and whole grains contain compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce inflammation.
Despite the findings, the study urges caution, emphasizing that simply swapping animal-based products for plant-based options doesn’t guarantee a healthy diet. The outcome depends on the specific products chosen, and considerations of culinary and cultural perspectives are crucial when making dietary changes. Mellor suggests approaching such dietary recommendations cautiously, considering factors beyond statistical risk reduction and ensuring that swaps make sense from both a culinary and cultural standpoint.