A so-called flexitarian diet, in which a predominantly plant-based diet is supplemented by the occasional consumption of meat and processed meat products, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and has other health benefits.
In a new cross-sectional study, experts at Leibniz University Hannover examined how a flexitarian diet affects the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to a vegan and omnivorous diet. The results were published in the English-language scientific journal “BMC Nutrition”.
Different diets examined
In total, the team examined 94 healthy participants between the ages of 25 and 45. Of these, 32 participants followed a flexitarian diet, 33 people abstained from animal products and 29 participants followed an omnivorous diet.
The researchers also recorded various known risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the participants, including metabolic biomarkers, body composition, blood pressure and arterial stiffness.
The participants also had to fill out a questionnaire about their food intake and the quality of their diet was calculated using the so-called Healthy Eating Index-Flex (HEI-Flex). The team also recorded the physical activity of the participants.
Benefits of vegan and flexitarian diets
The analysis of the data showed that both a vegan and a flexitarian diet were associated with significantly better values for insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol and also LDL cholesterol, which is often described as unhealthy, compared to an omnivorous diet, the team reports.
In addition, participants who followed a flexitarian diet had a healthier body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, and when measuring arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity, they performed better than people who followed a vegan or omnivorous diet, the experts continued.
Reduce consumption of meat and processed meat products
Overall, the study results suggest that diets that aim to reduce the consumption of meat and processed meat products, as is the case with flexitarianism, can have a beneficial effect on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the researchers conclude.
Nutrition expert Kate Patton from the Cleveland Clinic in the USA has also highlighted the health benefits of a flexitarian diet in an earlier article and reported a reduced risk of heart disease.
Additionally, according to Patton, a flexitarian diet could also help with weight loss and reduce the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes. Overall, there are several arguments in favor of switching from a classic omnivorous diet to flexitarianism. (as)
