According to recent studies, ultra-processed foods like meat substitutes and protein powders can help meet vegan protein needs.
Nutritionists often debate whether a vegan diet provides enough protein because plant-based foods contain less protein than meat, eggs, and dairy products.
However, the 774 vegan Brazilians who participated in this study were found to consume, on average, a healthy amount of protein and all the essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins we need in our diet.
“Our results refute the prejudice that vegan diets cannot provide the protein and essential amino acids a person needs and show that vegan diets can be nutritionally adequate,” Hamilton Roschel, head of the Applied Physiology and Nutrition Research Group at the University of São Paulo in Brazil and an author of the study, said in a statement.
“Ultra-processed food” (UPF) refers to edible items produced through industrial processes and added chemicals.
According to a study published in the US in 2018, the average diet contained about 57% UPF. American Journal of Clinical NutritionHowever, the current figure is likely to be higher.
In this study, vegans who consumed more ultra-processed protein products, such as vegan alternatives to meat and dairy and protein supplements like powders and smoothies, were more likely to consume adequate protein.
In contrast, vegans who consumed mostly unprocessed or minimally processed protein sources, such as lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts and seeds, were less likely to meet their protein needs.
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Previous research has been unclear about whether plant-based ultra-processed protein products are a good addition to a healthy diet.
Another study published in August found that plant-based UPF was linked to a 12 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease; however, that study did not distinguish between protein-rich and protein-poor foods, and most UPF tended to be protein-poor.
The study also analyzed the diets of British people, whose diets contained about half UPF, while the vegan Brazilians in this study consumed only 13.2% UPF.
“Vegans who participated in the study avoided ultra-processed products, [Brazilian] “General population,” Roschel said.
Studies have consistently shown a relationship between higher UPF in the diet, which includes excess sugar, starch, fat, salt and chemical additives, and a host of negative health outcomes, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, some types of cancer and premature death.
But a study published earlier this week found that ultra-processed breads, cereals, and plant-based protein products were linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
“Although they tend to be classified as ultra-processed products, TSP [textured soy protein] “Protein supplements are not unhealthy, but the same cannot be said for ultra-processed products that are high in fat, sugar, sodium, preservatives, and artificial additives, for example,” Roschel said.
“Although TSP is classified as ultra-processed, it is an important source of protein and essential amino acids for vegans.
“Ultra-processed products vary significantly in formulation, and despite the general consensus that they should be avoided, it is unreasonable to ignore the obvious differences between them.”
Participants in this study were vegan men and women in Brazil who kept a food diary for a day. Scientists used this information to measure their protein, amino acid, and UPF intake.
The study was conducted at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, the university that first coined the term “ultra-processed food,” and was funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation.
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Reference
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