A recent analysis found that risk factors for heart disease improved when various animal-based meats were replaced with vegan substitutes.
Kindness is good for you—and your heart! A recent study published by Dr. Ehud Ur at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver found that plant-based meats are a healthier alternative to animal proteins because they are associated with reduced cardiovascular risk factors.
The analysis, which reviewed studies between 1970 and 2023, showed that risk factors, including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and body weight, improved when individuals substituted vegan meats into their diets. People who have switched to a plant-based diet found that their cholesterol levels have reduced significantly within four to six weeks, due to LDL cholesterol binding to high soluble fiber content and removing it from the body.
While plant-based alternatives being healthier is great news, it’s actually nothing new!
Another study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published in 2020 found that participants who chose a meat alternative had their cholesterol and blood pressure reduced by about 10 percent, even if the plant-based alternatives were ultra-processed. That’s pretty substantial!
A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that individuals following a plant-based diet had a 32% lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to non-vegetarians.
In addition to being heart-healthy, the studies’ analyses also found a “protective effect” on specific cancers, including, but not limited to, liver, colon, lung, prostate, bladder, melanoma, kidney, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
While adopting a vegan or plant-based diet can offer numerous health benefits, one of the best benefits is that animals don’t have to suffer their entire lives on factory farms and endure torturous transport and slaughter.
Want to learn more about going vegan? Check out our Plant-Powered Changemakers community, where you can get tips and tricks and chat with other World Animal Protection supporters on similar journeys!
