Going Vegetarian? Here's How it Will Impact Your Heart

As more people are advised to shun meat, a study from Australia adds to evidence that a vegetarian diet can help improve heart health.

A review of 20 prior investigations found that folks who followed a vegetarian diet for six months, on average, saw improvements in cholesterol, blood sugar and body weight.

The study analysis “provides support to the current knowledge that eating more plant foods, fewer animal foods or lean, low-fat animal foods is a supporter of health,” says Connie Diekman, a food and nutrition consultant and former president of the U.S. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Overall, the researchers determined that compared with following a meat-inclusive diet, consuming a vegetarian diet had a “modest but significant effect” in helping keep cholesterol, blood sugar and body weight in check. However, no statistically significant impact on blood pressure control was observed.

How do vegetarian diets help the heart?

“High-risk patients need to do everything they can, as sometimes medications are not enough,” says Lona Sandon, program director of clinical nutrition with the School of Health Professions at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “Eating a diet higher in plant foods is part of the puzzle.

“Plant foods help keep arteries clean and flexible. Compounds such as flavan-3-ols — found in foods such as berries, tea and cocoa — help keep the cells of the arteries healthy and functioning normally,” Sandon adds.

What’s more, “there is little to no risk of adding more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and healthy oils to your daily diet,” she stresses. “The fiber and phytonutrients that come along with a plant-focused diet aid in gut health and heart health.”

Diekman agrees.

Noting heart disease is “the No. 1 killer of people worldwide,” she says that “evidence continues to show that the nutrient package of plant foods, and their diverse phytonutrient content, are positive supporters of heart health.”

In addition, Diekman says, plant foods contain less saturated fat, which can increase LDL-C, the bad cholesterol, thus making limitation of animal foods, and a focus on more plant foods, a positive step to reduce the potential risk of heart disease.

“As a registered dietitian,” she adds, “my guidance to my clients is to develop an eating plan that is enjoyable, maintainable, and that is built around plant foods, with smaller amounts of lean or low-fat animals.”

Perks of a vegetarian diet

If you are thinking of making the shift from animal products to a diet that consists solely of fruits and vegetables, here are three benefits you can expect to see, according to Northwestern Medicine:

Fiber fights high cholesterol: The vegetarian diet is high in fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans and grains, which is good for managing cholesterol.
Fewer calories for a healthy weight: Not only does a vegetarian diet eliminate fats from animal products, it replaces them with high-fiber foods, which fill you up more so you eat less, lowering your risk of obesity.
Extra antioxidants: Eating more fruits and vegetables means you’re getting more of the nutrients, like antioxidants, that protect against heart disease.

A plant-based diet also provides benefits for those living with heart failure.

Plant-based diets have been shown to improve both ejection fraction and cardiac remodeling in patients with heart failure in a recent review of interventional studies, thereby lessening the adverse effects of obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, according to the report results published in Cureus.

Staying healthy

It is important to note that just because you have decided to go vegetarian, it doesn’t automatically make you healthy.

It’s important to watch your sweet and fatty food intake. These foods are low in nutrients and high in calories. If you opt to include dairy in your diet, choose whole or unrefined grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products.

Although a vegetarian lifestyle is a great foundation for a heart-healthy diet, it is important to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients your body needs.

It is a good idea to talk to your primary care physician or meet with a nutritionist to discuss potential sources for the following nutrients: