Recent research shows that vegans can meet their protein needs by using highly processed foods, such as meat substitutes and protein powders.
Nutritionists often debate whether a vegan diet provides enough protein, since plant-based foods are typically lower in protein than meat, eggs, and dairy products.
The 774 Brazilian vegans who participated in the study were found to consume healthy amounts of protein and all essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein that we need in our diet.
"Our results refute the stigma that a vegan diet cannot provide the amount of protein and essential amino acids a person needs, and show that a vegan diet can indeed be nutritionally adequate," Hamilton Roschel, head of the Applied Physiology and Nutrition research group at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, said in a statement.
Ultra-processed foods (UPF) refer to edible substances that have been produced using industrial processes and added chemicals.
According to research published in 2018, the average American diet consisted of approximately 57 percent UPF The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition but the current figure is probably higher.
This study found that vegans who ate more ultra-processed protein products, such as vegan meat and dairy alternatives and protein supplements like powders and smoothies, were more likely to get enough protein.
In contrast, vegans who consumed primarily unprocessed or minimally processed protein sources, such as lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts and seeds, were less likely to meet their protein needs.
Previous research has not shown 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 associated with a 12 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease. However, that study didn't distinguish between high-protein and low-protein foods, even though most UPFs are low in protein.
Additionally, that study analyzed the diets of people from Great Britain, whose diets were about half UPF, while the vegan Brazilians in this study ate only 13.2 percent UPF.
"The vegans who participated in the study consumed less ultra-processed products than the [Brazilian] "for the general population," Roschel said.
Research has consistently shown a link between higher levels of UPF in the diet (which often contains too much sugar, starch, fat, salt and chemical additives) and a number of negative health effects, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, some cancers and premature death.
However, a study published earlier this week found that ultra-processed bread, cereals and plant-based protein products were linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
"Although they are generally classified as ultra-processed products, TSP [textured soy protein] "And protein supplements are not necessarily unhealthy, which cannot be said of highly processed products that contain, for example, a lot of fat, sugar, sodium, preservatives and artificial additives," Roschel says.
"TSP is an important source of protein and essential amino acids for vegans, even though it is classified as ultra-processed.
"There are large differences in the composition of ultra-processed products. Although there is consensus that these products should generally be avoided, it is not reasonable to ignore the clear differences between these products."
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 intake of protein, amino acids, and UPF.
The research was conducted at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, the same university that coined the term "ultra-processed foods," and was funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation.
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