A plant-based diet is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and death, according to a large-scale study released Wednesday.
The study analyzed the results of nearly 50 studies that were published between 2000 and 2023 and were published in the journal PLOS ONE.
The research examined the health impacts of vegetarian diets and vegan diets, which exclude all animal-derived foods, including dairy.
A strong consensus emerged: both eating patterns were linked to a decreased risk of cancer and ischemic heart disease. Diets appeared to lower the risk of prostate cancer and gastrointestinal cancers, such as colon cancer. Vegetarian diets have been linked with a decreased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Plant-based diets were also linked to lower risk factors for heart disease and cancer, including obesity, inflammation, and LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
According to Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine and one of the review’s authors, “This research shows, in general, that a plant-based diet can be beneficial, and taking small steps in that direction can make a difference.”
“You don’t have to go completely vegan to see some of these benefits,” he added. “Even reducing a day or two per week of animal-based consumption can have benefits over time.”