According to a new British study, vegans and vegetarians have a higher risk of stroke. On the other hand, meat consumers are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
In recent years, the carnivorous diet has been looked down upon by many vegetarians. Eating animals increases the carbon footprint; too much red meat increases the risk of dying young. Recently, researchers have also suggested replacing meats with vegetable protein to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. But while people who follow a vegan (Vegan, absolutely excluding all animal products) or vegetarian diet are less likely to develop heart disease, they are more likely to have a stroke, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal.
To reach this conclusion, researchers at the University of Oxford (UK) analyzed data from over 48,000 people over 18 years. The participants, recruited between 1993 and 2001, had no history of heart disease or stroke. The scientists divided them into three groups: carnivores, pescatarians (vegetarians eating fish and seafood) and vegetarians.
Then, in 2010, they were asked whether they had changed their diet in the meantime and whether they had changed their smoking or sports habits. After taking these factors into account, they found that pescatarians had a 13% lower risk of heart disease than carnivores and those on a plant-based diet had a 22% lower risk.
Lack of vitamin B12 in the diet of vegetarians
“We see lower rates of ischemic heart disease in fish and vegetarians than meat consumers. This seems to be due, at least in part, to lower body mass index and lower levels of hypertension and high blood cholesterol associated with diabetes because of these diets,” the researchers note.
On the other hand, despite the reduced risk of heart disease, they found that stroke rates were 20 percent higher than those of meat eaters. Probably because of the low level of vitamin B12 in their diet, the researchers claimed. Vitamin B12 is essential for the proper functioning of the body. In fact, it plays a role in the synthesis or modification of red blood cells, proteins, fatty acids, bones and neurons. But unfortunately for vegans, plants and fungi it do not contain vitamin B12: it is only present in the bacterial and animal kingdoms.
“Future work should include additional measurements of circulating levels of cholesterol, vitamin B12, amino acids and fatty acids in the cohort to identify factors that can mediate the observed associations. Further studies in other large scale cohorts with a high percentage of non carnivores are needed to confirm the generalization of these results and to assess their relevance to clinical practice and public health,” they conclude.
The health significance of a varied diet
Until more information is available, the public is advised to eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, including dairy products or alternative dietary products, and especially think about protein (lean meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, tofu, unsalted nuts, etc.).
Starchy foods should make up just over a third of the food intake, says the guide, which recommends choosing whole grain varieties such as brown pasta and brown rice. You can also leave the peelings on the potatoes. And of course, limit foods rich in fat, sugar and salt.
About a year ago, British researchers made a very important discovery about vitamin B12. Wondering how to get it to vegans, they had schoolchildren growing a garden in which vitamin molecules had been planted. A week later, the leaves had some detectable B12. Eventually, these results could be used to treat dietary deficiencies in countries with the majority of vegetarians, such as India.
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