Vegetables and legumes can prevent heart conditions

It is a well-known fact that a green diet is good for the heart, but we do not know how it affects the cholesterol level.

But as cholesterol is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease, it is important to understand how the food we eat affects the body’s cholesterol level.

This is exactly what a new study from the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet does. It demonstrates the impact of a vegetarian or vegan diet on the cholesterol level.

“A vegetarian or vegan diet can reduce the amount of bad cholesterol by 14 per cent compared to an average diet containing meat,” says Medical Student Caroline Amalie Koch from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, who is one of the researchers behind the new study.

Cholesterol is produced by the body, but we also add cholesterol to the body when we eat. There are different kinds of cholesterol. Bad cholesterol can increase the risk of atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, which can result in blood clots and cardiovascular disease.

“The study shows that a plant-based diet has around a third of the effect of cholesterol-reducing medicine. So if you follow a plant-based diet for five years, you should be able to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by around seven per cent,” says Caroline Amalie Koch.

In other words, if you switch to a plant-based diet when you are in your mid-20s, you will have reduced your risk of cardiovascular disease by 20 per cent by the age of 40.

More people develop heart conditions – the most frequent course of death

A lot of people develop cardiovascular diseases, both in Denmark and in the rest of the world, and that is what prompted the researchers to do the study.

“Cardiovascular disease is the most frequent cause of death among people above the age of 50. Therefore, our research results are important and can help prevent cardiovascular disease at an early stage,” says Doctor and PhD Emilie Westerlin Kjeldsen, who also participated in the new study. She adds:

“In the study, we made an important observation – that the impact of a vegetarian or vegan diet on bad cholesterol did not differ across global regions, age or health groups.”

Professor Ruth Frikke-Schmidt from the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Copenhagen adds that this research is extremely relevant as the rate of cardiovascular disease is increasing throughout the world.

“New data from the WHO shows that both high-, middle- and low-income countries are currently seeing increasing rates of cardiovascular disease. For many years, though, the rate was decreasing in high-income countries; now it is increasing again,” she says and adds:

“Cholesterol-reducing medicine is more effective than a plant-based diet, and if your doctor has prescribed cholesterol-reducing medicine, it is important that you take it. A healthy, plant-based diet that follows the national dietary guidelines and recommendations from patient associations is a great supplement, though.”

Good for your health and the climate

According to the DTU National Food Institute, we should be able to reduce our climate footprint by 20-35 per cent if we eat less meat and more vegetables or by 45-50 per cent if we switch to a vegan diet. The calculations made by the Institute were used i.a. by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration to formulate the official dietary guidelines that encourage us to eat a green, varied diet.

“So, switching to a greener diet will support more sustainable food production, and it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Caroline Amalie Koch and adds:

“The study has also helped outline some of the health benefits of eating a more plant-based diet, and more people have already begun to do so. But even though there is a general understanding of the benefits of a green diet, it is important to understand why that is the case.”

The study has been published in the European Heart Journal.

Contact

Caroline Amalie Koch
caroline.amalie.koch.01@regionh.dk

Professor and Consultant Doctor Ruth Frikke-Schmidt
ruth.frikke-schmidt@regionh.dk  
+45 2281 2081