Dietary habits linked to higher heart attack risk: Study reveals adherence to unhealthy plant-based diets may boost risk by 65%
Going plant-based doesn't immediately equate to a healthier lifestyle, warns a new study. It turns out that many plant-based foods can be just as harmful to your heart as their animal-based counterparts.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found that a diet high in unhealthy plant-based foods was associated with a higher level of a key heart attack biomarker. While many plant-based foods can reduce cardiovascular risk due to their nutritional profile, not all of them share these benefits.
The researchers assessed associations between plant diets of various qualities and three critical cardiac biomarkers. They analyzed data from 7,708 participants in the 1999-2004 . Participants were 20 years or older and had no history of heart disease. The biomarkers of concern were cardiac troponin T, cardiac troponin I, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Troponins are indicators of cardiac muscle damage, while the peptide is associated with heart failure.
The analysis revealed that adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was associated with a 49% lower likelihood of having elevated levels of cardiac troponin I. However, people following an unhealthy plant-based diet had a 65% greater chance of elevated levels of the same biomarker.
So, what constitutes a healthy plant-based diet, and what should you avoid? Plant-based meats can be high in sodium and heavily processed, both of which are unhealthy for the heart. Additionally, some plant-based meat substitutes incorporate saturated fats from ingredients like coconut or palm oil, which can raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol and contribute to heart disease risk.
The key to a healthy plant-based diet is to choose foods low in saturated fat and sodium, with minimal additives and preservatives. Opt for whole food ingredients that are rich in protein, fiber, and phytonutrients, such as beans, legumes, tofu, and tempeh. Avoid processed foods, especially those with long ingredient lists full of additives or "natural flavorings." Instead, focus on unsalted or lightly salted options, and choose oils like olive, avocado, or canola. Avoid coconut or palm oils, saturated fats, sodium, and additives.
In conclusion, a plant-based diet can offer numerous benefits for heart health when focused on whole, nutritious foods. However, be cautious of processed plant-based meat alternatives, which can contain high levels of sodium, saturated fats, and additives that are detrimental to heart health. A balanced, whole-foods approach is the key to a healthy plant-based lifestyle.
- Going plant-based doesn't guarantee a healthier lifestyle, as a new study warns.
- Many plant-based foods can be just as harmful to the heart as their animal-based counterparts.
- The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found a link between a diet high in unhealthy plant-based foods and a higher heart attack biomarker.
- While some plant-based foods can reduce cardiovascular risk due to their nutritional profile, not all share these benefits.
- The study assessed associations between plant diets of various qualities and critical cardiac biomarkers.
- The researchers analyzed data from over 7,000 participants in the 1999-2004 .
- Participants had no history of heart disease and were 20 years or older.
- The biomarkers of concern were cardiac troponin T, cardiac troponin I, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide.
- Troponins are indicators of cardiac muscle damage, while the peptide is associated with heart failure.
- Adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was associated with a 49% lower likelihood of having elevated levels of cardiac troponin I.
- However, people following an unhealthy plant-based diet had a 65% greater chance of elevated levels of the same biomarker.
- Plant-based meats can be high in sodium and heavily processed, which are unhealthy for the heart.
- Some plant-based meat substitutes incorporate saturated fats from ingredients like coconut or palm oil, which can raise LDL cholesterol and contribute to heart disease risk.
- The key to a healthy plant-based diet is choosing foods low in saturated fat and sodium, with minimal additives and preservatives.
- Opt for whole food ingredients that are rich in protein, fiber, and phytonutrients, such as beans, legumes, tofu, and tempeh.
- Avoid processed foods, especially those with long ingredient lists full of additives or "natural flavorings."
- Instead, focus on unsalted or lightly salted options, and choose oils like olive, avocado, or canola.
- Avoid coconut or palm oils, saturated fats, sodium, and additives.
- A healthy plant-based diet can offer numerous benefits for heart health when focused on whole, nutritious foods.
- However, be cautious of processed plant-based meat alternatives, which can contain high levels of sodium, saturated fats, and additives that are detrimental to heart health.
- A balanced, whole-foods approach is the key to a healthy plant-based lifestyle.
- In the context of workplace-wellness, understanding the impact of nutrition on heart health is crucial for medical-conditions management and chronic-diseases prevention, including chronic-kidney-disease and cancer.
- Respiratory-conditions and digestive-health are also areas where nutrition plays a significant role.
- Eye-health, hearing, and skin-care are often overlooked but equally important aspects of health-and-wellness.
- Fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, and autoimmune-disorders are other critical areas that require attention, along with nutrition.
- In the manufacturing industry, implementing wellness programs may improve employee health and productivity, thereby reducing healthcare costs.
- Mental-health, skin-conditions, and therapies-and-treatments are key areas that should be addressed in these programs.
- In the realm of science and other nutrition, understanding the impact of plant-based diets on cardiovascular-health is just one of many ongoing studies.
- In the retail sector, entrepreneurs can capitalize on the growing interest in plant-based diets to innovate and create new products.
- Smartphones, gadgets, and data-and-cloud-computing are becoming increasingly important in managing personal-finance and budgeting, even for those focused on health-and-wellness.
- In the housing-market, venture-capital and investing opportunities exist for those passionate about small-business, wealth-management, and real-estate development, all while promoting diversity-and-inclusion, smart-home-devices, cybersecurity, automotive, and more in the business landscape.
