Vegetarians consume more ultra-processed foods (UPF) than their meat-eating counterparts, a major UK study has found.
Although a vegetarian diet may be rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, it can also include large amounts of UFAs such as chocolate, ready meals, frozen pizzas, and soft drinks.
A team of experts, led by Imperial College London, surveyed around 200,000 Britons about their average daily consumption of UPFs, as well as their diet in general.
They found that UPFs made up a fifth of the diet of all participants, but vegetarians were more likely to rely on them.
Overall, the researchers observed that vegetarians consumed significantly more ultra-processed foods than those who regularly consumed red meat – defined as those who consumed red meat more than once a week.
Vegans, despite their diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes, consumed just as much UPF as meat-eaters.
On the other hand, those who consumed red meat rarely and in moderation, as well as pescatarians, were less likely to rely on UPF.
The study authors noted an increase in the consumption of plant-based milk and artificial meat by environmentally conscious vegetarians, vegans and pescatarians, which they called "disturbing."
“UPFs made solely from plant-based substances are increasingly promoted by the UPF industry as healthy and sustainable alternatives to encourage consumers to move away from meat-based diets,” they write in the journal EClinicalMedicine.
"Therefore, it is important that urgently needed policies for food system sustainability also promote balanced diets towards minimally processed foods and away from UFAs," GazetaExpress reports the study.
Many experts have emphasized that plant-based milks and artificial meats are not as healthy replacements as consumers might assume, and may even be linked to cardiovascular disease.
The authors of this study, which also included scientists from France and Brazil, highlighted research suggesting that the consumption of UPFs in general is linked to a range of health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and even cancer or death.
Although vegans consumed on average as much or more UPF than meat-eaters, experts noted that their diets were healthier overall, with more fiber and fewer total calories, saturated fat, and salt.
The authors linked this to higher overall consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The study had some limitations, such as the low number of vegans included – only 159.
Experts also noted that the data, collected as part of a long-term study between 2006 and 2010, was based on participants' memory of their diet, which is known to be subjective and inaccurate.
The study group also appeared to consume less UPF than the British average, with some estimates suggesting that these foods now make up 57 percent of the national diet, the highest proportion in Europe.
UPFs include a range of foods and drinks rich in artificial colors, sweeteners and preservatives, as well as calories and sugar.
Examples include ready meals, ice cream, and even ketchup.
These foods are usually subjected to numerous industrial processes that, according to research, degrade the physical structure of the foods, making them more quickly absorbed.
This, in turn, can increase the risk of blood sugar fluctuations and reduce the feeling of fullness.
It is also said to harm the microbiome – the community of “friendly” bacteria that live inside us and on which our health depends.
UPFs are thought to be a major factor in obesity, which costs the NHS around £6.5 billion a year.
However, experts have repeatedly called for caution in linking the consumption of UPFs to health problems.
Many think that the term UPF is too broad, as it considers a wholemeal bread, which has some health benefits, and a ready-made meal filled with salt, fat and sugar as the same type of food.
Some experts argue that this may make it unclear which UPFs may cause specific health problems.
Researchers have also suggested that UPFs themselves may not be directly the cause of the health problems observed in the studies.
Instead, they have proposed that consuming too many UPFs may be a symptom of other issues, such as poverty, that can reduce intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. /GazetaExpress/
edition
t7 live
