Vegans vs. Meat-Eaters: What a New Study Says About Processed Food Intake

While more people are embracing vegetarianism, a new study reveals that extreme plant-based diets might actually increase the consumption of processed foods.

A research team at Imperial College London studied the intake of processed foods among vegetarians. Using data from 199,502 participants from the UK Biobank, they divided them into several groups based on their dietary choices: vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians, pescatarians, flexitarians, low red meat consumers, and regular red meat consumers.

Surprisingly, the study found that lacto-ovo vegetarians consumed the most processed foods. Compared to regular red meat consumers, lacto-ovo vegetarians had a 1.3% higher intake of processed foods. On the other hand, low red meat consumers ate 1.3% less processed foods, flexitarians 0.8% less, and pescatarians 1.6% less. Vegans showed similar consumption levels to regular meat-eaters.

The researchers concluded that extreme vegetarianism can lead to higher processed food intake. This is likely because hardcore vegetarians often turn to processed alternatives such as cereals, refined pasta, and meat substitutes to avoid eating meat.

But what exactly are processed foods? Think of them as ingredients that have gone through multiple stages of refinement, such as soda and instant noodles. The catch? These foods are often loaded with additives that are detrimental to your health. Numerous studies have linked high consumption of processed foods to increased risks of cancer, heart disease, and even higher mortality rates.