Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) have variable nutritional profiles but generally promote heart health better than animal-based meats. Despite their high sodium content, PBMAs improve cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol without raising blood pressure. However, more long-term research is needed to understand their full impact on heart health.
Experts emphasize the importance of focusing on overall dietary patterns rather than individual components for cardiovascular benefits. PBMAs can be a healthy choice, especially when lower in saturated fat and sodium, but caution is advised regarding high-risk foods like egg yolks. A recent review article examines the effects of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) on cardiovascular disease risk factors, including cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Although there is considerable variation in the composition and nutritional profiles of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs), they generally align with a heart-healthy diet. A review article in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology , published by Elsevier, which examines studies comparing plant-based and animal-based meats, consistently indicates that plant-based options can enhance cardiovascular risk factors. PBMAs are highly processed plant-based food products that typically replace meat in the diet.
In Canada, the growing demand for PBMAs coincides with public health recommendations to reduce ultra-processed food consumption, which prompts the need to investigate the long-t.
