Is real meat healthier for you than plant-based meat?

BOSTON - A new study looked at whether or not real meat is healthier for you than fake meat.

We know that diets rich in plant-based foods are good for your heart and metabolic health, so many people have been replacing hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken nuggets with plant-based meat alternatives.  

These products are designed to resemble the taste and texture of meat, but a new study finds they may not provide a heart health advantage.  

Researchers in Singapore followed more than 80 subjects over eight weeks and found no significant improvements in LDL cholesterol among those eating plant-based meat substitutes and traditional meat. 

Those on the traditional meat diet had better blood sugar control. So, instead of replacing traditional meat with plant-based meat substitutes, you're better off substituting meat with healthy plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. 

In:
• Health
• Food & Drink

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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