Go plant-based for your health

A growing body of scientific studies contrast health outcomes of meat-inclusive and plant-based diets.

Risks to health from meat-inclusive diets

In 2016, the Mayo Clinic published a review of large-scale studies involving more than 1.5 million people that found higher mortality rates for those who eat meat, particularly red or processed meat, on a daily basis.

The authors recommended that “physicians should encourage patients to limit animal products when possible, and substitute red meat and processed red meat with plant-based foods.”

In 2017, a study published in the British Medical Journal found “increased risks of all cause mortality and death due to nine different causes associated with both processed and unprocessed red meat…”.

The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research have stated: “There is strong evidence that consumption of either red or processed meat are both causes of colorectal cancer.”

In 2015, The World Health Organization classified the consumption of red meat as “probably carcinogenic to humans” and processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans.”

In 2012, a study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that “a daily serving of red meat no larger than a deck of cards increased the risk of adult-onset diabetes by 19 percent.”

A 2018 study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, found that people who consumed large amounts of meat protein experienced a 60-percent increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD), while people who consumed large amounts of protein from nuts and seeds experienced a 40-percent reduction in CVD.

Health benefits of plant-based diets

A plant-based diet, free of animal products, can be healthy at any stage of life – from children to teens, older adults and pregnant or nursing mothers. For example, there are so many plant-based foods that naturally contain calcium or are fortified with it. These include dark leafy greens like kale, collard greens, and spinach, as well as broccoli, oranges, almonds, fortified non-dairy milks and yogurts, and tofu that has been made with calcium.

A 2016 Oxford University study found that a global switch to diets that rely less on meat and more on fruit and vegetables could save up to 8 million lives by 2050.

A number of studies have found that plant-based diets are associated with health benefits, including reduced symptoms of arthritis and reduced blood sugar and cholesterol.

More recently, five studies presented at a 2018 nutrition conference found that eating healthy, primarily vegetarian foods is associated with lower risk of chronic diseases, weight gain and death.

Canada’s revised Food Guide recommends that Canadians shift their consumption to more plant-based foods, including suggestions to incorporate plant-based proteins more often. The Food Guide also acknowledges that many of the well-studied healthy eating patterns from areas of the world where people statistically live the longest include mostly plant-based foods.