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In our newsletters we share tips and tricks to help you strive for your best health. In this issue:
- What you need to know about ‘plant-based’ commercial products
- How to get on our priority list for the next cookshop
- Vitamin C and the common cold
- Staying hydrated this Winter
- Comfort food: Home-made popcorn with olive oil
- Product review – What is Mingle?
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When Could Plant-based Products Be Unhealthy?
With compelling evidence that plant-based eating is better for our health and that of the planet, we have seen the rise, and rise, of new plant-based food products. But before you reach for one of these packets, it’s important to recognise that just because something is labelled ‘plant-based’ does not automatically mean it’s super healthy. The degree of processing should always be considered. Dietitian Aimee Van Der Veer, explores.
What are plant-based foods and diets?
When we hear the word ‘plant’, we typically think of fruits and vegetables. However, ‘plant’ can also refer to any grain, legume, nut and seed - and to all foods or ingredients made from these. So pretzels, 2-minute noodles and vegan burgers would all qualify.
In general, plant-based diets are richer in fibre, phytonutrients (including those with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties) and unsaturated fats as compared to modern meat laden diets. They also tend to be lower in salt, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol and refined carbohydrates. This nutrient profile enables people who follow plant-based diets to be protected against many chronic diseases and premature death.
Multiple studies now show that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and other major illnesses.
But not all plant foods (and therefore plant-based diets) are equally healthy. In the more traditional past, when studies such as The China Study were conducted, the plant foods cooked and eaten were whole foods, meaning they were obtained from the garden rather than being highly processed (or ultraprocessed) and bought at the supermarket or a fast food outlet.
Modern plant-based diets are not necessarily founded on many vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds. In fact, they can frequently contain many ultraprocessed plant-based products and ingredients. Have you seen the ingredients list of some vegan cheeses lately? They are rarely made of ground up nuts, as we like to create them at the Nutrition and Wellbeing Clinic cookshops. Often, they are based on ingredients like coconut oil with thickeners and other additives added in.
This is an important issue to consider as recent research from Harvard University and other prestigious centres around the world has shown that while high quality plant foods promote better health, highly processed plant products are not neutral – they actually cause harm.
When plant-based foods aren’t healthy
Most commercially produced snack foods (which just happen to be plant-based) are highly processed and therefore unhealthy - whether you are trying to go more plant-based or not.
In addition, the term ‘plant-based’, is commonly used interchangeably on foods that are ‘free from animal products’. But swapping one less healthy food such as meat, with any meat-free or ‘plant-based’ product will not necessarily help you achieve your best health. This is because some plant-based products can also be ultraprocessed - far removed from their natural state. Note – a certain degree of processing is usually required but we like to aim for minimally processed foods rather than those ultraprocessed ones.
Ultraprocessed foods are surprisingly rich in calories (for a given portion size), they tend to be high in sodium, saturated fat and added sugars, and lack dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals found in greater abundance in minimally processed or natural plant foods.
Alarmingly, scientists have now shown in multiple studies from different countries that frequent consumption of ultraprocessed foods may lead to negative health impacts, including an increased risk of unhealthy weight, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke and early death.
Most recently, a study has linked the high intake of ultraprocessed foods by mums-to-be with impaired growth of the embryo (immature baby) using state-of-the-art virtual reality techniques. The negative effect of such foods was comparable to that from smoking!
This situation is worrying since many people have come to believe that any plant-based products will do and are somehow automatically good for you.
The bottom line
A plant-based diet made up of predominantly whole, minimally processed, plant foods is promoted by dietary guidelines because it supports your health and reduces the risk of chronic disease. On the otherhand, ultraprocessed plant foods (whether they be organic vegan snacks or faux meats) can harm your health and should therefore be avoided or minimised. Ask your dietitian about delicious ways you can incorporate more healthy whole plant foods like legumes and wholegrains into your diet.
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