Plant-based diets have been found to significantly lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) or dying from cardiovascular causes, according to new research published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health. The study, conducted by Yanping Li, MD, PhD, and colleagues from the department of nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, emphasized that individuals can still occasionally consume meat, fish, or dairy products and still see substantial benefits.

The research, which explored data from nearly 150,000 U.S. veterans participating in the Million Veteran Program, tracked the impact of different diets on health over up to eight years of follow-up data. The study identified 5,025 CVD events, including deaths from CVD, nonfatal myocardial infarctions, and cases of acute ischemic stroke.

One notable aspect of the analysis was the use of a Plant-Based Diet Index (PDI) to score how closely individuals adhered to a plant-based diet. The findings revealed that a higher PDI was significantly associated with a lower risk of experiencing a fatal or nonfatal CVD event. However, the researchers also emphasized the importance of flexibility in diet, cautioning that excluding food groups altogether can make long-term adherence to any diet more challenging.

The study also highlighted the potential drawbacks of consuming unhealthy plant-based foods, such as sugar-sweetened beverages and refined grains, which can eliminate the benefits of a plant-based diet and lead to weight gain.

Overall, the research suggests that embracing a diet with higher consumption of plant foods and lower consumption of animal foods can yield substantial cardiovascular benefits. The authors stressed the need for dietary guidelines that evaluate the gradients of adherence to a plant-based diet, emphasizing the potential health effects of this dietary pattern in general populations.