Calling something plant-based isn't enough to make it healthy. The WHO warns against new ultra-processed foods high in salt, sugars, flavourings and various additives.
Some do it for their own wellbeing, others for the good of the planet, but the fact remains that plant-based diets are becoming increasingly widespread across European countries. Some aspects of their impact on health, sustainability and the environment have yet to be fully explored, however, and may not be as positive as assumed. This is explained by the World Health Organization in a recent report entitled "Plant-based diets and their impact on health, sustainability and the environment".
It has been shown that a predominantly plant-based diet, low in added salt, fats and sugars, is associated with a healthy eating pattern and that limiting the consumption of red and processed meat reduces health risks. It is also true that the production of plant-based foods has a lower environmental impact than meat and meat-derived products, and also helps to protect biodiversity. According to the WHO, however, some clarifications are necessary, as plant-based diets can vary greatly from one another and should not automatically be considered healthy.
The Organisation points out that not all plant-based diets are healthy, as much depends on the quality of the foods consumed: this is the case with ultra-processed foods, from snacks to meat substitutes such as vegan burgers, from ready-made soups to dairy substitutes, especially those intended for "out-of-home" consumption. These are products often made with the addition of salt and sugars, as well as flavourings, colourings, emulsifiers and other additives whose impact on health appears controversial and not yet fully explored. The report cites, for example, a 2018 study by Action Salt that had examined the salt content of more than 150 meat-alternative products, finding that meat-free burgers contained more salt than beef burgers (0.89 g per serving versus 0.75 g per serving).
"When we eat simple fruit and vegetables, we can be confident they are good for our health – explained Afton Halloran, one of the report's authors – But when we buy ready-made foods that are marketed as healthy, we need to pay closer attention to how they are made." The WHO's recommendation, whatever plant-based diet one chooses to adopt, is therefore to consume fresh fruit and vegetables and minimally processed foods and drinks, favouring, for example, whole grains over refined ones, whole fruit over juices, vegetable oils rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids over hydrogenated ones, and unsweetened drinks such as water, coffee or tea instead of fizzy sugary drinks.