It’s no secret that your diet is just as important to your overall health as exercise. As we explored in our blog on whole foods, eating healthy, nourishing foods is crucial to get the nutrients your body needs. But did you know that alternative, plant-based diets can further decrease your risk of cardiac events and even lower cholesterol?
A growing body of research suggests that vegan and vegetarian diets can lower inflammation, cholesterol, and help you shed excess weight. This leads to a deceased risk of heart attack or stroke.
To fully understand the benefits a plant-based diet presents it’s important to understand the common risk factors of cardiovascular disease and what LDLs are.
Risks for Cardiovascular Disease
There are several factors that increase risk of cardiovascular disease. One of the largest factors is weight. Individuals with excess body fat are at a higher risk of heart attack or stroke than their lighter counterparts.
Another factor is inflammation. Though there is no explicit data that links inflammation to heart disease, there is a high correlation between those who are at higher risk or who have experienced a cardiac event. Heightened C-reactive protein levels are a byproduct of inflammation. These protein levels are often tested when physicians check for risk.
Higher cholesterol levels are also associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Specifically, higher LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels (aka. “Bad” cholesterol) factor into an increased risk of heart attack. Higher LDL can lead to calcified arteries, which can increase risk.
Benefits of Vegan and Plant-based Diets on C-reactive Protein Levels
A 2018 study reported in Harvard Medical Publishing set out to prove that a vegan diet was in fact more heart-healthy than the prescribed diet from the American Heart Association (AHA) (which promotes fish, lean poultry, and dairy in addition to plant based foods) . In this study half of participants were given a vegan diet, while the other half was given the AHA diet. After an 8 week trial, participants who adhered to the vegan diet had 32% lower C-reactive protein levels than those who subscribed to the AHA diet.
According to a study performed by the AHA, eating a plant based diet leads to lowered cardiovascular morbidity. This is due to several factors, including the above-listed lower C-reactive protein levels, as well as lower fat consumption and accompanying weight loss.
If you have high cholesterol or are at an increased risk for a cardiovascular event, switching to a plant-based diet could be your ticket to better heart health.
For more on the positive benefits of eating well, read our blog on whole foods here!
References:
Jenkins DJ;Wong JM;Kendall CW;Esfahani A;Ng VW;Leong TC;Faulkner DA;Vidgen E;Paul G;Mukherjea R;Krul ES;Singer W;. (n.d.). Effect of a 6-month vegan low-carbohydrate (‘eco-atkins’) diet on cardiovascular risk factors and body weight in hyperlipidaemic adults: A randomised controlled trial. Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24500611/
Kim, H., Hyunju Kim Center for Human Nutrition, Caulfield, L., Laura E. Caulfield Center for Human Nutrition, Garcia‐Larsen, V., Vanessa Garcia‐Larsen Center for Human Nutrition, . . . Rebholz, *. (2019, August 07). Plant‐Based diets are associated with a lower risk of incident cardiovascular Disease, cardiovascular DISEASE mortality, And all‐cause mortality in a general population of Middle‐Aged Adults. Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.119.012865
Miles, F., Lloren, J., Haddad, E., Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Knutsen, S., Sabate, J., & Fraser, G. (2019, February 15). Plasma, urine, and adipose Tissue biomarkers of dietary Intake differ Between vegetarian AND non-vegetarian diet groups in the Adventist Health Study-2. Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/149/4/667/5320848?guestAccessKey=e5c18e47-598e-420e-9853-d74da51189dd
Publishing, H. (n.d.). Less heart-damaging inflammation with a vegan diet? Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/less-heart-damaging-inflammation-with-a-vegan-diet