Risk of heart attack elevated by 65% due to unhealthy plant-based diet
Skip the fuss over plant-based food being universally heart-friendly! A recent study boldly claims that while some plant-based foods give your heart a healthy boost, others can be just as treacherous as their animal-based counterparts.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University analyzed data from 7,708 participants, aged 20+ with no prior heart disease, to investigate the connection between various diet qualities and key heart indicators. Threesome of concern: cardiac troponin T, cardiac troponin I, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide – trop, for short! Troponins point to cardiac muscle damage, hinting at a possible heart attack. The peptide triggers heart failure.
To the dismay of many vegetarian enthusiasts, the study's findings revealed that adhering to a healthy plant-based diet was linked with a whopping 49% lower likelihood of elevated cardiac troponin I. However, the same couldn't be said for those indulging in an unhealthy plant-based diet, who faced a 65% increased risk of elevated troponin I levels. Thus, it's crucial to focus on nutrient-rich, fiber-filled, and low-sodium plant-based foods like beans, legumes, tofu, and tempeh over heavily processed, sodium-laden pseudo-meats with extensive ingredient lists.
While it's true that many plant-based diets can diminish cardiovascular risk due to their low saturated fat, high fiber, and antioxidant content, not all plant-based foods boast these heart-healthy benefits. To make matters worse, "plant-based meats" often contain inflammatory additives such as methylcelluose, modified starches, carrageenan, and various gut-disturbing gums.
When choosing a plant-based diet, it's essential to scrutinize the food sources carefully, especially plant-based meat analogs. These are frequently packed with sodium, additives, and saturated fats, often derived from coconut or palm oil to mimic meaty textures. Saturated fats from these oils can potentially promote insulin resistance and lead to heart disease. A processed plant-based burger can contain up to 6 times more sodium than a plain chicken breast!
The moral of the story? Aim for nutrient-dense, minimally processed plant-based food choices, and watch out for lengthy ingredient lists and "natural" labels that may bered flags. Embrace fiber-rich whole foods like lentils, chickpeas, and black beans, and opt for healthy oils like olive, avocado, or canola while steering clear of coconut, palm, and saturated fats. Most importantly, remember that maintaining a healthy heart is about more than just what you eat; it's also about considering the level of processing in your food choices.
- Despite claims about the heart-friendly nature of plant-based diets, researchers from Johns Hopkins University have found that unhealthy plant-based choices can lead to a higher risk of elevated cardiac troponin I levels by 65%.
- In contrast, adhering to a healthy plant-based diet was associated with a lower likelihood of increased cardiac troponin I, by as much as 49%.
- It's important to focus on nutrient-rich, fiber-filled, and low-sodium plant-based foods like beans, legumes, tofu, and tempeh instead of heavily processed, sodium-laden plant-based meat analogs.
- These plant-based meats often contain inflammatory additives such as methylcelluose, modified starches, carrageenan, and various gut-disturbing gums.
- Saturated fats from oils used in these processed plant-based foods, like coconut or palm oil, can potentially promote insulin resistance and heart disease.
- To maintain a healthy heart, consider the level of processing in your food choices, and opt for nutrient-dense, minimally processed plant-based food sources like lentils, chickpeas, and black beans, while limiting intake of saturated fats, coconut, palm, and other processed oils.
