Vegan fake meats are linked to increase in heart deaths, study suggests: Experts say plant-based diets can boost health – but NOT if they are ultra-processed

Replacing meat and dairy with plant-based swaps might not be the simple health hack you think it is. Although eating plant-based foods is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, you may want to reconsider how many vegan burgers you are tucking into as researchers say UPF foods could increase risk Now research published in Lancet Regional Health - Europe, suggests these dangers are even present in plant-based UPF's, with a high consumption linked to a 15 per cent increase in heart death. Another clue is the amount of fat, salt and sugar lurking inside each pack, with UPFs typically containing high amounts People who ate a lot of plant-based ultra-processed foods had a 7 per cent greater risk of suffering conditions like blocked heart vessels and had a 15 per cent heightened risk of dying when compared to vegetarians whose diets had less. ‘While ultra-processed foods are often marketed as healthy foods, this large study suggests that plant-based ultra-processed foods do not seem to have protective health effects and are linked to poor health outcomes.’ Food additives and industrial contaminants present in these foods could cause oxidative stress and inflammation, the scientists suggest. Packed with fat, salt and laden with sugar ultra-processed foods have long been vilified for increasing heart attack and stroke risk Study author Dr Fernanda Rauber, an expert in preventative medicine from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, said the it's the first to show plant-based ultra-processed foods are associated with increased the risk of cardiovascular diseases.