World Food Day Webinar on Sustainable Catering

Monday 12th October 12.30-2pm GMT+1

Learn about the relationship between food, health and climate change and how you can help this World Food Day.

Join the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC) and Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) to learn more about the latest research on what’s needed to make diets good for health and good for the planet.

In this interactive webinar we’ll explore how healthcare organisations are adopting sustainable catering, the barriers to progress and how healthcare professionals can overcome these.

Global Healthy Hospital Network Webinar

Wednesday 9th December 2026, 4-5pm GMT

Healthy, Sustainable Hospital Food: Examples from Czech Republic and Canada.

To join, you first must join PANCO as per instructions on this page: plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/global-healthy-hospital-food-network

Benefits of eating more beans

By Isabelle Sadler, Research Assistant at Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

This article explores why beans deserve a place on our plates, how they can support our health, why they’re one of the most environmentally friendly protein sources available, and simple ways to enjoy more of them every day.

What is a bean?

Beans belong to the legume family, meaning they grow in pods. They are one type of pulse – the dried edible seeds of legumes – alongside chickpeas, lentils and dried peas. Pulses have been dietary staples across the world for thousands of years and remain central to many traditional cuisines.

The world of beans extends far beyond the UK’s beloved baked bean. It is estimated that there are over 400 varieties of dry beans grown globally, with around 20 commonly available in UK supermarkets. Popular varieties include kidney beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, black beans, borlotti beans, haricot beans and fava (broad) beans.

Beans are delicious and nutrient-dense

Beans are nutrient-dense: meaning they’re packed with nutrients for relatively few calories.

They are a great source of plant protein. Regardless of dietary pattern, current dietary guidance encourages us to eat more plant-derived proteins, both for health and environmental reasons. This includes the UK Eatwell Guide, which recommends consumption of 80 g/day of pulses as protein sources, which also contributes one portion to the five a day recommendation! Unlike many animal protein sources, beans provide protein alongside fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, while naturally being low in saturated fat and containing no cholesterol.

One of beans’ greatest nutritional strengths is their fibre content. Most adults in the UK consume considerably less fibre than the recommended 30 g per day, and beans offer one of the easiest ways to increase intake. The fibre found in beans supports digestive health, helps lower cholesterol, slows the absorption of glucose after meals and promotes satiety, helping us feel fuller for longer.

While nutritional content can vary slightly by variety, beans and other pulses are a rich source of folate, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, niacin, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium. They also provide zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and vitamins E and K.

Beans are also an excellent source of polyphenols and other antioxidants, which help protect our cells from oxidative stress and contribute to many of their health benefits.

Health benefits of beans

Heart health and cholesterol lowering effects of beans

Regular bean consumption has been linked to reductions in LDL-cholesterol, and they can contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. A comprehensive 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis found that across 28 trials, bean consumption resulted in a significant reduction in LDL-cholesterol. Trials including chickpeas, mixed pulses and legumes showed similar benefits.

The same review also found that bean consumption resulted in significant reductions in non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apoB), a marker that reflects the total number of cholesterol-containing particles capable of causing atherosclerosis. Lower apoB concentrations are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Hypertension is a leading driver of cardiovascular disease. Higher legume consumption has also been associated with lower odds of developing hypertension in a UK population. In a 2026 systematic review and dose-response, meta-analysis, higher legume consumption, including soya, was associated with a reduced risk of developing hypertension, with 170g per day being the optimal intake.

Healthy weight management

Eating more beans may also support healthy weight management.

A 2026 meta-analysis of 36 clinical trials found that regularly consuming beans and peas was associated with significant reductions in waist circumference, body fat, and body weight. While no significant changes were seen in body mass index (BMI), reductions in waist circumference and body fat suggest that beans and peas may improve body composition even when BMI remains unchanged.

The greatest benefits were seen in studies lasting longer than eight weeks, indicating that regular, long-term consumption is likely to be most effective.

Several characteristics of beans may explain these effects. Their high fibre and protein content slows digestion and increases feelings of fullness, helping to naturally reduce overall energy intake. Beans also contain resistant starch, polyphenols and the amino acid L-arginine, all of which may contribute to healthier body composition.

Gut health

Beans are among the best foods we can eat to support a healthy gut microbiome and likely to be one of the main reasons why people eating plant-based diets consistently show evidence of better gut health.

In one trial including 55 participants with obesity and a history of colorectal neoplasia, 8-weeks of regular bean consumption increased beneficial gut bacteria and improved microbial diversity, both of which are increasingly recognised as important contributors to overall health.

As previously mentioned, beans are rich in different types of fibre, including resistant starch, which is a type of carbohydrate that is fermented by beneficial bacteria in the large intestine. This fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids, including butyrate, which provide energy for the cells lining the colon, help maintain the gut barrier and play an important role in regulating inflammation.

Beans are also rich in non-digestible oligosaccharides, compounds that reach the colon intact and have been shown to stimulate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, while constraining pathogens to support immune function and reducing inflammation.

The fibre in beans also supports bowel regularity and contributes to long-term digestive health.

Other health benefits of beans

The benefits of beans extend beyond heart health and weight management. Thanks, in part, to their high fibre content and naturally low glycaemic index (GI), beans cause a slower rise in blood sugar after meals, helping to improve blood glucose control. In a Danish study, replacing unprocessed red meat with beans and other pulses was associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes and ischaemic heart disease. A 2024 network of case-control studies also found that consuming just one serving of legumes daily was associated with a 21% lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Why beans are good for the planet

Beans are not only good for our health, they are also one of the most sustainable protein sources available.

Compared with animal proteins, producing beans requires substantially less land and water while generating far fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Many legumes also improve soil health through nitrogen fixation, a natural process in which specialised bacteria convert nitrogen from the air into forms plants can use. This reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilisers, lowering environmental impacts while improving soil fertility for future crops.

Buying British-grown beans

Although many beans are imported to the UK, interest in British-grown pulses is growing. Choosing UK-grown beans can help support local farmers, improve crop diversity and reduce transport emissions.

Companies such as Hodmedod’s have helped reintroduce a wide range of British-grown beans and pulses, making it easier than ever to buy locally produced legumes.

How to eat more beans

Beans are incredibly versatile, which means there are plenty of different ways to add more into your diet, here are just a few ideas:

• Blend softer beans such as butter beans or cannellini beans into pasta sauces for a naturally creamy texture without cream.
• Swap out some potato in your mashed potato to create a butter bean mash.
• Add kidney beans or black beans to chilli, tacos and burritos.
• Stir chickpeas into curries, salads or roasted vegetable dishes.
• Add cannellini or butter beans to soups and stews.
• Swap half the meat in recipes such as Bolognese or cottage pie for lentils or beans.
• Mash beans with herbs, garlic and lemon for a quick sandwich filling or dip.
• Roast chickpeas with herbs and spices for a crunchy snack.
• Use silken tofu (made from soya beans) to create creamy desserts such as chocolate mousse or smoothies.
• Try making your own bean burgers and falafels, or you can buy them premade
• Experiment with new recipes from different cuisines that where beans are the star of the show, such as Fagioli all’uccelletto (Tuscan baked beans), Gigantes plaki (from Greece, great served with bread), and Ful Mudammas (Egyptian Fava Beans)

Check out a variety of bean-based recipes on the following websites: Hodmedod’s, Veg Power and Bold Bean Co.

Help people eat more beans!

If you’re a nutrition professional or work in a sector such as public health, policy, or food industry, you could be part of the campaign that aims to double bean consumption by 2028, check it out here and here.

Summary

• Beans are rich in plant protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, while being low in saturated fat.
• Regular bean consumption supports heart health and can help lower cholesterol.
• Their high fibre and protein content promotes fullness and can support healthy weight management.
• Beans nourish beneficial gut bacteria and support digestive health.
• Their low glycaemic index helps regulate blood sugar levels.
• Add beans to soups, salads, stews and pasta sauces for an easy nutrition boost.
• Blend butter beans or cannellini beans into sauces for a creamy texture.
• Roast chickpeas for a healthy snack or mash beans into sandwich fillings and dips.
• Experiment with different varieties, such as kidney, butter, cannellini and black beans, in everyday meals.

Global Healthy Hospital Network webinar

Wednesday 9th September, 4-5pm BST

To join, you first must join PANCO as per instructions on this page: plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/global-healthy-hospital-food-network

Members Journal Club

Members are invited to join our member-led journal club. These sessions are aimed at healthcare professionals but all are welcome to join. Alternate months, an interesting scientific paper on nutrition, lifestyle medicine or planetary health will be presented by a PBHP UK member and then opened up for discussion. The session will last for a maximum of an hour.

Wednesday 30th September 2026 6-7pm BST

Topic: Diet and inflammatory bowel disease Led by member and Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr Sukdev Singh

Not a member? Please join us here.

Review of the plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine news July 2026

This month I cover a new report on obesity and the food environment, guidance on prevention of dementia, physical activity recommendations, plus more evidence for eating plants and drinking coffee!

Food and Weight Management: Fixing the food environment

To address overweight and obesity in the UK, we must address the unhealthy food environment, according to this new report from the Health and Social Care Committee. Obesity is not a personal failure but is a consequence of many factors that are usually outside the control of the individual. There is plenty of evidence to show that food environments, including supermarkets, fast food outlets and advertising, influence are dietary behaviours. In addition, calorie for calorie, unhealthy foods are cheaper than healthy ones.

The report makes a number of recommendations to encourage healthier diets.

• Implementation of the 2018 nutrient profiling model to support people to identify less healthy foods and drinks. You can learn more about this by listening to the In a Nutshell Podcast.
• Mandatory healthy sales reporting with target set for supermarkets. We would also add that reporting of plant versus animal protein sales should be included as recommended in the 10 Point Plan policy briefing.
• Requirement for large businesses to report on the price promotions it offers, specifically the percentage of such promotions on healthier foods like fruits and vegetables.
• Update and promote the healthy start scheme to ensure all children benefit.
• Support more community projects to support access and uptake of healthier diets. The work of the Alexandra Rose Charity is an example of the positive impact that making fruit and vegetables accessible to those most in need can have on health.
• Introduce mandatory front-of-pack labelling.
• Incentivise reformulation of products to remove sugar, salt and fat and increase fibre.
• Support local authorities to use planning systems to improve local food environments, including refusing planning permission to fast food outlets that serve unhealthy meals.
• Overhaul advertising to promote healthy foods.
• Prioritise health in food policy and ensure that the enforcement of healthy food environments is properly resourced.
• Address the oversized influence of the food industry. Read my article on this topic here.

The document provides a blueprint for Government on evidence-based action it can take to support healthier diets for all. The question now is, will they listen and will they act.

In my view, healthcare should be leading by example. At the moment, hospital food environments are no different to the high street, with retail outlets and staff canteens selling foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat. Hospitals serve meals with processed meat and there is little to no promotion of healthier, fibre-rich meals.

A reminder of why the work of the Plants First Healthcare Coalition is so important.

Modifiable risk factors for ischaemic heart disease in the US

Cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of ill health and death globally. This updated analysis from the GBD provides data on modifiable risk factors that are responsible for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in the US in 2023. These data are also relevant for other high-income countries. Although deaths from IHD have decreased, people are living longer in ill health.

High systolic blood pressure (SBP), dietary risks, and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were the leading risk factors for IHD, accounting for 47.2%, 38.6% and 28.5% of IHD deaths, respectively. Elevated fasting glucose and high body mass index continue to rise in prevalence as risk factors for IHD. Smoking and air pollution have decreased as in their impact on IHD mortality.

We have known for a long time now that ischaemic heart disease is preventable in the majority of people and can be significantly reduced even in people at higher genetic risk. The direct cause of IHD relates to elevated blood cholesterol and high circulating levels of atherogenic lipoproteins. These lipoproteins penetrate the wall of the coronary arteries and lead to atherosclerosis. This process is exacerbated by high blood pressure and high blood glucose, which both act to damage the endothelial lining of the coronary arteries.

Plant-rich diets (with or without fish) are an essential part of IHD prevention strategies as outlined in the 2026 dietary guidance from the American Heart Association. Read more about prevention of cardiovascular disease and about our research on diet and hypertension.

Dietary approaches for lipid management

During some informal conversations with colleagues, I learnt that many are not familiar with the Portfolio diet. Given its decades of robust evidence in cholesterol lowering and improving cardiovascular outcomes, it seems that we are missing a big opportunity in the UK. We know that one of the huge benefits of eating more plants and less animals is a healthier blood lipid profile.

Yet even I was surprised to see there were significant benefits for people with genetic hypercholesterolaemia

A new study reported in Nature tested the impact of a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet in people with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, a genetic disorder that leads to elevated blood cholesterol and increasing the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The study was a two-period, two-treatment, crossover, controlled feeding trial in 50 participants who were not on cholesterol-lowering medications. Each participants ate a standard American diet (SAD) or a WFPB diet separated by a wash out period. A WFPB diet was defined based on the 2019 Canadian dietary guidelines. All meals and drinks were provided and the diets were designed to be isocaloric and intended to maintain current participant weight. Of note, no phytosterols-fortified foods were included.

Compared to the SAD, the WFPB diet phase resulted in an 18% decrease in LDL-C, 15% reduction in ApoB, reductions in blood pressure and an overall 11.9% relative reduction in the estimated 10-year risk of CVD event. Compared to the SAD, the WFPB diet reduced intestinal cholesterol absorption, and improved perceived appetite sensations, meaning greater feelings of fullness and reduced appetite.

It’s worth noting that there was significant heterogeneity in response to the WFPB diet. Five participants achieved a greater than 30% reduction in LDL-C, whilst five had an increase in LDL-C levels on the WFPB compared to the SAD.

Overall, this study confirms that dietary approaches are an important tool for managing genetic hypercholesterolaemia and likely to have additional benefits for overall health.

Processed plant-based meat versus red meat.

There remains concern about plant-based diets being too ‘processed’ and therefore worsening health outcomes compared to a ‘natural’ meat-based diet. This narrative has been perpetuated by the meat industry, without scientific proof to support the claims.

Studies have actually shown the opposite. For example, the SWAP-Meat study from Stanford University compared Beyond meat products to organic, grass-fed meat from cows. The results showed that despite being classified as ultra-processed, the Beyond substitution led to a lowering of TMAO levels, the primary outcome, alongside reductions in LDL-C and body weight and without any negative impacts.

Of course this study was small and short, but it does suggest that processed plant-based meat alternatives could have benefits for health when compared to eating red meat

It is good to see this new study – the FOOD-1 trial – which replicates some of the previous findings. Forty-one participants were randomly assigned to a plant-based meat-supplemented, fully plant-based diet, with two portions of Beyond patties per day or a red-meat supplemented diet for 6 days and subsequently underwent cross-over. The primary end-point again was TMAO with a number of secondary end-points relating to cardiometabolic health.

The results showed that participants on the plant-based meat diet reduced TMAO and LDL-cholesterol levels, whilst there was a small but significant increase in body weight (0.6kg) and NTproBNP. The authors propose the rise in weight and NT-proBNP may have been due to the salt content of the Beyond products since the participants had a higher prevalence of CVD risk factors, compared to the SWAP-MEAT study.

Other things to note are that during the plant-based phase, participants were not meant to consume any other animal-derived foods, but some still did. The patties were well tolerated but more participants reported abdominal pain and diarrhea with the plant-based patties.

The overall take away is that plant-based meat alternatives may be better for health than red meat, however, there are always trade offs to consider. Ideally, red meat should be replaced by minimally processed plant protein sources such as legumes.

Read more about plant-based meat alternatives.

New WHO guidelines on reducing the risk of dementia

Dementia is a huge personal, community and societal issue with 57 million people globally living with dementia, 60% of whom are in low and middle-income countries. Pharmaceutical interventions have not lived up to their promise. The good news though is that 45% of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors.

This updated WHO guidance puts the evidence into action. Recommendations are essential the tenants of healthy living and include promoting healthy behaviours, preventing and managing chronic conditions and reducing exposure to environmental hazard. These include the following;

• Equitable access to lifestyle eduction and prioritising cognitive training and stimulation – meaning engaging in activities that use and stimulate the brain.
• Social activity and participation to prevent loneliness and isolation.
• Regular physical activity.
• Avoidance of alcohol and tobacco.
• Healthy diet.
• Prevention of overweight and obesity.
• Prevention and management of type 2 diabetes.
• Prevention and management of hypertension.
• Prevention and management of hearing loss and visual loss.
• Reduction in exposure to household and outdoor air pollution.

Specific dietary recommendations are centred round evidence-based dietary patterns include the Mediterranean, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diets. The guideline states ‘These diets emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, while limiting red meat, saturated fats and sugary foods’. Dietary supplementation is discouraged, rather a food-first approach encouraged.

Further support for eating more fibre-rich foods comes from an updated meta-analysis of observational studies including 222,108 participants from 16 cohorts and 10 countries. It finds that higher intakes of fruit and vegetables lowers the risk of dementia by 20%. Vegetable consumption had a slightly greater impact than fruit.

The WHO report is a very useful document for empowering healthcare providers and clinicians to embed lifestyle medicine into routine practice. Read our article on diet, lifestyle and brain health and use our factsheet on Alzheimer’s disease.

Plant-based meals in hospitals

This is a highly practical study that moves the discussion on plant-based hospital food from aspiration to implementation. Using a multidisciplinary co-creative process involving chefs, dietitians, clinicians, facilities teams and industry partners, the researchers developed 30 fully plant-based recipes combined into seven daily hospital menus. The aim was to produce meals that were nutritionally adequate, palatable, affordable, appropriately portioned and operationally feasible. The menus provided 90–97 g of protein per day, with all meals meeting the study’s threshold for essential amino-acid adequacy and estimated protein quality. Soya, lentils, oats, grains, nuts and seeds were the main protein sources, with soya drinks and pea-protein isolate used where needed to increase protein density without substantially increasing food volume.

The study offers a useful blueprint for hospitals because it brings together six essential criteria: protein quantity, protein quality, palatability, portion size, cost and feasibility. It also shows that plant-based hospital meals can be delivered within a realistic food budget, with daily ingredient costs of €10.50–€12.30. This creates opportunities for hospitals to introduce plant-based defaults, expand plant-rich menus and reduce reliance on animal protein without compromising clinical standards. The meals were also high in fibre, low in saturated fat and based largely on legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, offering wider health and sustainability benefits.

However, there were important barriers. Breakfast and lunch were particularly difficult to make sufficiently high in protein without using fortified drinks or protein isolates. Larger portions may be poorly tolerated by patients with reduced appetite, nausea, fatigue or treatment-related symptoms, while some protein isolates had an unpleasant taste. The menus also relied heavily on soya, which is nutritionally useful but may be unsuitable for some patients and limits diversity. Importantly, the tasting was carried out by the expert group rather than by patients, so real-world acceptability and actual intake remain uncertain. The reported costs also excluded labour, preparation time, training and food waste.

The main nutritional concerns were calcium and vitamin B12. None of the menus met the calcium target and only one met the vitamin B12 target, highlighting the need for fortified products or supplementation. It is worth mentioning that the calcium target aimed for was more than 950mg per day, whereas in the UK, 700mg/day is considered adequate. Total protein intake was adequate, but some individual meals provided less than the intended 20 g, which may be relevant for older patients with anabolic resistance. Fibre intake was high at 39–54 g per day, which is beneficial for many people but may worsen satiety, bloating or gastrointestinal symptoms in acutely unwell patients.

Overall, this study should give hospitals confidence that high-protein plant-based meals are achievable, but success depends on dietetic oversight, culinary expertise, careful fortification and real-world testing of intake, acceptability and clinical outcomes.

New physical activity guidelines UK

The UK has updated its physical activity guidelines. We know that regular physical activity (PA) is essential for optimising both physical and mental health and wellbeing. PA is associated with lower risks of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer, dementia, depression and more.

The fundamentals of the guidance remain the same – 150 minutes of moderately intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week and strength training twice per week for adults and at least 60 minutes per week for children.

The key updated guidance for all stages of life are: stronger recommendations for strength exercises throughout the life course, including for those on GLP-1 medications; warnings about prolonged periods of sitting / sedentary behaviours; benefits of light activities, including everyday tasks such as gardening, shopping, housework; additional recommendations for balance exercises for prevention of falls and frailty in older adults.

There are some useful infographics to use in teaching and practice.

An interesting, large scale, pragmatic study enrolling 19,234 people found that five minute exercise snacks every hour during the working day is not only feasible and acceptable but improved psychosocial outcomes. So this may be a useful way to reduce sedentary behaviours.

Physical activity guidance also ties in nicely with a report from London School of Economics that presents their impact assessment of the Dose of Nature (DoN) Prescription randomised controlled study with data collected over 2.5 years and responses from 375+ participants. The study run by the charity DoN involved patients with a range of mental health conditions, referred by their GPs. The 8-week intervention involved an assessment with a DoN psychologist, who then matched the participant with a DoN guide. The intervention group were supported to participate in nature-based activities.

The results showed that the programme resulted in significant improvements in mental health and wellbeing, with reduction in anxiety and depression. There was significantly increased life satisfaction and the perceived worthwhileness of daily activities. Further analysis showed that improvements in social connectedness, belonging, and reduced loneliness partially explain the mental health benefits.

Importantly, the benefit-cost ratio was calculated at 8.3, meaning that the benefits of a DoN prescription are more than eight times greater than its costs. This suggests a high value-for-money.

Sustainable diets do not increase costs

This new study examined how Scotland could meet UK Climate Change Committee recommendations to achieve a 20% reduction in meat and dairy consumption by 2030 and a 35% reduction in meat by 2050 while maintaining nutrient sufficiency, supporting health and ensuring affordability.

The researchers used nationally representative dietary and health data from 3,447 Scottish adults aged 16 years and older, combined with data from foodDB, which contains price and environmental information for around 70,000 UK supermarket products. They modelled 33 different ways of achieving meat and dairy consumption and outcomes included intake of 54 nutrients, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, food costs, greenhouse-gas emissions, land and water use, and eutrophication.

The most effective strategy was not a uniform reduction across the population, but targeting people with the highest intake of red and processed meat. Reducing red meat to no more than 60g per day among high consumers could achieve the 2030 target, while a maximum of 31g per day could achieve the 2050 target. This approach generated greater health and environmental benefits than reducing all types of meat equally, with similar cost savings.

The modelled pathway with the greatest combined benefits reduced red meat to a maximum of 31 grams per day and dairy by 20%, without replacing the removed foods. Over ten years, this was estimated to prevent around 59,248 cases of type 2 diabetes, 18,595 cases of cardiovascular disease and 2,240 deaths, while reducing average BMI by 2.09 kg/m².

Environmental benefits were consistent. In the most effective pathway, greenhouse-gas emissions fell by 0.91 kgCO₂e per person per day, alongside reductions in land use, water use and eutrophication. Targeting high red-meat consumers was slightly more effective than applying a general reduction across all meat consumption.

Importantly, healthier and more sustainable diets were not more expensive. The most effective pathway reduced average food costs by around 41p per person per day, approximately £150 per year. Replacing meat with vegetables, beans or pulses retained modest savings, whereas oily fish was the only replacement associated with a significant increase in cost. Savings were similar in the most and least deprived groups.

The main nutritional concern related to reducing animal-sourced foods without appropriate replacement. Average intakes of protein, zinc, calcium, iodine and selenium fell, with dairy reduction particularly affecting calcium and iodine. However, in reality, when people remove foods from the diet this is usually replaced by something else. So swapping dairy with fortified plant-based alternatives can easily address concerns about nutrients such as calcium and iodine.

For those in clinical practice this is a useful study that allays fears about diet change not being possible in lower income households due to cost barriers. Modest changes can lead to both climate and health benefits. Replacing meat with beans is the best option for health and swapping dairy products for fortified soya drinks and foods can be affordable when choosing supermarket own brands.

It seems from another study in Nature Food, which analysed dietary intakes in 165 countries and across 72 socio-economic groups, that diets of highly educated urban men aged 15-34 is having the greatest environment impact. In contrast, rural women aged 35-54 with lower educational attainment are eating diets with the lowest environmental impact – half that of the highest impact group. The analysis also showed that higher quality, healthier diets consistently had a lower environmental impact. No surprises there since eating more plants and less animal-sourced foods is win win for people and planet.

Dr Marco Springmann has created a free online database that provided information on what people around the World are actually eating. The interactive tool will allow researchers to more accurately evaluate the health, environmental and economic impacts of global diets.

Thumbs up to coffee from the American Heart Association

A good news story to end. The American Heart Association has published a new scientific statement on caffeine and cardiovascular disease. Most of the studies on caffeine are in the context of drinking coffee. Different people metabolise caffeine at different speeds, so at an individual level, caffeine can have variable acute effects.

There is clear heterogeneity in the data on caffeine/coffee consumption and health outcomes. The overall conclusion of this review is that moderate caffeine or coffee consumption (up to 400 mg/d caffeine or ≈3–5 cups of coffee at 8 oz per cup) is safe for most adults and is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation, as well as hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Habitual coffee consumption may also be linked with a reduction in premature mortality, with the lowest mortality risk observed at moderate levels of intake (2–4 cups/d). Similar benefits have been seen with consumption of decaffeinated coffee suggesting benefits of non-caffeine bioactive compounds in coffee.

Of course, coffee is not an essential component of a healthy diet, but if you enjoy it and you don’t get acute side effects, then you can be reassured that it does not cause harm and may even afford some health benefits.

See you back in August.

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Plant-based diets for maintaining a healthy weight

By Dr Shireen Kassam, Director of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Plant-based diets are a great way to maintain a healthy weight, and in doing so, can lead to significant reductions in the risk of chronic conditions associated with carrying excess body fat, particularly when this fat accumulates in body organs (visceral fat).

Overweight and obesity are at epidemic proportions with 1 in 8 people globally living with obesity. In the UK, around 65% of adults are either overweight or living with obesity, with rates higher in those living in deprived areas and in non-White ethnicities. Overweight and obesity also affects around 22-25% of children.

Living with overweight and obesity significantly increases the risk of common chronic conditions including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, fatty liver diseases and arthritis, whilst also lowering life expectancy and adversely impacting quality of life.

Definition of overweight and obesity

The definition of obesity up till now has mainly been based on the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated as weight (kg) divided by [height (m)2] with normal considered as 18.5-24.9. The best health outcomes are associated with a BMI of 20-22. People from Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African and African–Caribbean backgrounds are prone to central adiposity, resulting in cardiometabolic conditions occurring at lower BMI levels, so a normal BMI is considered up to 22.9.

BMI is a useful tool for assessing overall health of populations, but on an individual level has been criticised as a flawed method of determining body fatness and hence health status because the measure does not distinguish between fat and muscle mass. To overcome these issues, two recent pieces of guidance – The Lancet Commission on obesity and the UK’s NICE guidance – recommend the use of anthropometric measurements, such as waist to height ratio, or waist circumference, alongside BMI.

Evidence supporting plant-based diets for weight management

The causes of overweight/obesity are numerous and multifactorial and the magnitude of the problem should not be underestimated. However, dietary behaviours are important for prevention and treatment. In general, diets high in meat, especially red meat, and ultra-processed foods, whilst low in fruit and vegetables are associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. In contrast, healthy plant-based diets are a very effective way of maintaining a healthy weight and losing weight if needed.

Observational studies have consistently shown that people eating diets centred on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds tend to have a healthier body weight. The greatest advantage is seen in people following a 100% plant-based or vegan diet. For example, in both the EPIC-Oxford study and the Adventist Health Study-2, vegans had the lowest BMI when compared to vegetarians, pescatarians and meat-eaters.

Combined data from the Nurses’ Health Studies and the Health Professionals Follow-up study show that consumption of certain foods is associated with either weight gain or weight loss over time. Regular consumption of processed foods (sweets and desserts, fries, butter, refined grains), sugary beverages, processed and unprocessed meat was associated with weight gain. Regular consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, yogurt and nuts was associated with weight loss.

A more recent analysis of these study cohorts examined associations of changes in intake of overall, healthful, and unhealthful – with weight change tracked over 4-year intervals spanning more than 20 years. Adherence to an overall plant-based diet was associated with significantly less weight gain over each 4-year period, with greater benefit seen for those adhering to a healthful plant-based diet. However, an unhealthful plant-based diet (emphasising refined grains, potato/fries, sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks/juices) was associated with significantly more weight gain over the follow-up period. Similarly, in a subgroup analysis of the Nurse’s Health Study, a diet high in healthy plant-based foods was associated with less weight gain around the menopause.

Randomised studies on dietary patterns and weight management

The PCRM conducted a randomised study of a whole food plant-based (WFPB) or healthy vegan diet and compared it to the National Cholesterol Education Program recommended diet (control group). Sixty-four overweight women were included.

After 14 weeks, the mean weight loss in the WFPB diet group was 5.8kg, which was significantly greater than in the control group (weight loss 3.8kg).

Another randomised study from PCRM included 244 participants with a BMI of 25–40 who were randomised to follow either a low-fat, WFPB/vegan diet or to make no dietary changes.

After 16 weeks, the results showed that the vegan group lowered their body weight by 6.4 kg and reduced liver and muscle fat by 34% and 10%, respectively, which correlated with improvements in insulin resistance. They also increased their after-meal metabolism by 18.7%. There were no significant changes in the measured parameters in the control group.

The BROAD study was a randomised trial using a low-fat WFPB diet in a community setting for people with obesity, ischaemic heart disease or type 2 diabetes. The intervention led to a significant and sustained reduction in weight and BMI at all time points when compared to the control group with improvements sustained for the 12-month follow-up.

What is notable about all three studies mentioned is that food was not provided to participants, there was no requirement to restrict calorie intake or reduce portion size and exercise was not part of the intervention. This is especially important because many diet programs for weight loss focus on restricting calories and portion sizes. When focusing on whole-food, plant-based eating, the diet is not restrictive, but rather has an abundance of plant foods and meals, making it an enjoyable and sustainable way of eating.

A 2025 meta-analysis of randomised studies shows clear benefits for a WFPB/vegan diet for weight reduction.

How do plant-based diets help maintain a healthy weight?

1) Reduced energy density: Plant foods are lower in energy density, whilst still being high in healthy nutrients, when compared to animal-sourced foods. Most people eat the same volume of food everyday — around 1.8kg or 4lbs. So, on a plant-based diet you can generally eat to fullness whilst consuming less calories compared to other diet patterns.

2) Increased fibre intake: The increased fibre consumption on a plant-based diet is more satiating, giving the feeling of fullness with less calorie intake. Fibre also supports a healthier gut microbiome, which in turn has been associated with a healthier body weight. Fibre does not provide calories and is only present in plant foods.

3) Reduced fat intake: The lower fat intake, particularly saturated fat, can be helpful. This is because fat has nine calories per gram but carbohydrates and protein only four calories per gram.

4) Increased postprandial (post-meal) energy expenditure: Daily total energy expenditure is as follows; resting energy expenditure — 60–75% of total, physical activity — 15->30% of total, thermic (effect of food) — 10% of total. Physical activity is the energy expenditure we have most control over and the ability to change.

However, there are differences in the energy expenditure after eating, based on the diet composition. Studies have shown that a low fat, WFPB diet results in greater postprandial energy expenditure. This is because the fat content of a meal influences the action of mitochondria in the cells. Mitochondria in cells convert fuel to energy. A high fat meal adversely affects mitochondrial function resulting in reduced energy expenditure.

5) Modulation of appetite hormones: A number of hormones control our feelings of hunger and satiety. The hypothalamus, in the brain, is the control centre of hunger and satiety and hormones are produced in the hypothalamus and in the gastrointestinal tract.

Gastrointestinal hormones are involved in regulation of glucose metabolism, energy regulation, satiety, and weight management. Consumption of food triggers secretion of incretin hormones from the gastrointestinal tract, namely glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), which enhance insulin secretion and help maintain glucose control. The satiety hormones GLP-1, peptide YY (PYY), pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and amylin control appetite and energy regulation. The release of these satiety hormones can depend on meal composition and differs between states of normal and abnormal glucose control.

A study conducted by PRCM involved a randomised crossover design and examined the effects of two energy- and macronutrient-matched meals – a processed-meat and cheese meal and a vegan meal with tofu – on gastrointestinal appetite hormones and satiety in 20 men with type 2 diabetes, 20 men with obesity, and 20 healthy men. The results showed that the vegan meal led to a greater increase in the levels of gut satiety hormones, which led to greater satiety in the participants.

Areas of continued debate

Low-carbohydrate diets

There are continued debates within the scientific community as to whether a low-carbohydrate diet (however that may be defined) is more effective than a low-fat diet. However, diet quality matters more, with different macronutrient combinations leading to similar weight loss, if the overall diet emphasises healthy foods.

There are long-term adverse effects of a low-carbohydrate diet, especially when carbohydrates are replaced by animal-sources of protein and fat. This includes elevated LDL-cholesterol, increased risk of cancers and premature death.

Genetics predict response to different diets

Another common narrative is that body weight and response to different diets is dependent on genetic factors. Both the low-carbohydrate diet and genetic theory were put to the test in the DIETFITS study, which compared weight loss on a low-fat diet with a low-carbohydrate diet. After 12 months, there was no significant difference in weight change between a healthy low-fat diet versus a healthy low-carbohydrate diet. In addition, this study examined different genes that had previously been suggested to affect response to fat and carbohydrate. However, these genes did not predict weight loss or associate with the effectiveness of either diet pattern.

GLP-1 medications and dietary strategies

GLP-1 weight loss medications have significantly changed the management of obesity. These medications are hugely effective, more so than diet and lifestyle interventions. However, it must be remembered that individuals on these medications require appropriate nutrition and lifestyle support. This is to counter the effect of reduced appetite and food intake, which leads to nutritional deficiencies, especially if diet quality is not addressed. In addition, loss of lean muscle mass can be a problem and requires adequate strength building exercise along with sufficient protein intake (1-1.5g/kg/day). This is also an opportunity to embed healthy, sustainable, lifestyle habits, because when the medications are discontinued, most of the weight is regained within a year.

Summary

1. Fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts are key foods associated with a healthier body weight.
2. There is robust evidence to support a plant-based diet, including healthy vegan/whole food plant-based diets, for preventing and treating overweight and obesity.
3. When using a WFPB diet for weight loss, calorie counting and portion control is generally not required making this way of eating more sustainable.
4. Meat and ultra-processed foods are associated with higher body weight.
5. Any shift towards eating more plant-based foods, whilst reducing meat intake and ultra-processed foods, is going to have a positive impact on body weight if weight loss is desired.
6. Plant-based diets can support people on GLP-1 medications maintain adequate protein and nutrient intakes

Resources

10 tips for weight management on a plant-based diet

Energy density – the key to successful weight loss

Better results, starting now. Your nutrition roadmap for GLP-1 therapy – Proveg International

Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society.

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming UK healthcare into a healthier, fairer and more sustainable system. We rely on conferences, teaching, grants and membership to continue our work. If you enjoyed this article please join as a member and receive discounts, exclusive events and promotion on our platforms in return. Together, we can transform UK healthcare. https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

Lifestyle Medicine Certification Information Session

Are you planning to sit the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM) certification exam this year, or considering certification in the future?

Join Claire Lynch for an informal online information session on Monday 27 July, 7–8pm (Google Meet).

This session is particularly relevant for those already registered for the 2026 certification pathway, but anyone interested in learning more about certification is welcome to attend.

We’ll cover:

• What to expect over the coming months
• Key deadlines and requirements
• CME and case study requirements
• Exam preparation and study support
• Common questions and practical tips

Whether you’re already registered or simply exploring whether certification might be right for you, this session is an opportunity to ask questions, meet other candidates, and gain a clearer understanding of what the certification journey looks like in practice.

📅 Monday 27 July
🕖 7:00–8:00pm
💻 Google Meet

Diet, lifestyle and brain health

By Dr Shireen Kassam, Director Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Cognitive impairment refers to a decline in brain function, including forgetfulness, poor concentration and difficulty making decisions, which can then lead on to dementia. The most common types of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

The greatest global challenge for health and social care in the 21st century

Currently more than 57 million people live with dementia worldwide and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year. In 2019, the estimated total global societal cost of dementia was US$ 1.3 trillion, and these costs are expected to surpass US$ 2.8 trillion by 2030 as both the number of people living with dementia and care costs increase.

In the UK, almost 1 million people are living with dementia. This number is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, resulting in costs of up to £90 billion annually. Most of these costs are related to family and social care rather than medical care.

What is driving the development of dementia?

Although there are genetic factors that increase a persons risk of developing dementia, these genetic factors account for less than 10% of cases. Instead, the development of dementia is driven by the same mechanisms as other chronic conditions, namely inflammation, dyslipidaemia, oxidative stress, insulin resistance and an unhealthy gut microbiome. Healthy lifestyle habits are able to address these key mechanisms and chronic conditions through risk factor modification and help prevent or delay the condition. Even in individuals with a higher genetic predisposition, healthy lifestyle habits can significantly reduce the future risk of developing dementia.

Forty-five percent of cases could be prevented or delayed

The Lancet commission on dementia initially reported that 40% of cases could be prevented or delayed by addressing 12 lifestyle-related factors; tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, depression, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, hearing loss and social isolation, excessive alcohol consumption, air pollution, attaining a good level of education and traumatic brain injury. In 2024, the Lancet commission provided an updated report adding two further risk factors; visual loss and high LDL-cholesterol. With these 14 risk factors it is now predicted that up to 45% of cases of dementia could be prevented or delayed.

The 2024 report specifically recognises the importance of healthy diets with a focus on the Mediterranean and MIND (Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet. The onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the commonest type of dementia, is preceded by a long pre-clinical phase, as long as 15 to 20 years. This long pathological process offers opportunities for prevention. Another interesting observation made in the Lancet Commission report is that cognitive reserve i.e. preservation of cognition or everyday functioning, can be increased or maintained despite the presence of brain pathology and neuropathological changes associated with dementia. Early-life factors, such as less education, affect the resulting cognitive reserve. Midlife and old-age risk factors influence age-related cognitive decline and triggering of neuropathological developments.

Preventing dementia by addressing chronic health conditions

Dementia shares similar risk factors as cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke). Those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and higher body weight are at significantly increased risk of developing dementia later in life. In fact, dementia has been termed ‘type 3 diabetes’ because of the association with insulin resistance. Addressing cardiometabolic risk factors through a healthy lifestyle approach is a very effective way to prevent dementia.

An analysis from the Whitehall study of UK British civil servants included data from 7899 participants and reported the association of cardiovascular health at age 50 with the incidence of dementia using the Life Simple 7 (now amended to 8 factors) cardiovascular health score devised by the American Heart Association. After a median follow-up of 25 years, the results demonstrated that the better the cardiovascular health score at age 50 years the lower the risk of dementia. For each 1-point increment in the score (14 points in total) there was a 11% reduction in the risk of dementia demonstrating that control of cardiovascular risk factors provides a powerful tool for prevention of dementia in later life.

A further analysis from the Whitehall study cohort assessed the association between underlying chronic conditions, termed multi-morbidity, and the risk of dementia after 32 years of follow up. The presence of two or more chronic conditions, was associated with a 2.4-fold increase in risk of dementia. The younger the onset of the chronic conditions the higher the risk of dementia with the strongest association at age 55 years. The commonest chronic conditions impacting risk were hypertension, depression, coronary heart disease and diabetes.

What is a healthy diet for prevention of dementia?

In general, diet patterns centred around healthy plant foods whilst being low or avoiding animal-derived and processed foods are best for preventing chronic diseases, including dementia. This includes diet patterns such as the Mediterranean, DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension), MIND and mostly plant-based diets. Diets high in animal and processed foods and low in plant foods increase inflammation and oxidative stress, promote lipid and glucose dysregulation and result in insulin resistance. In contrast, healthy plant-based diets have been associated with lower levels of inflammation and are packed full of antioxidant compounds that help counteract different types of cellular stress, whilst promoting insulin sensitivity and a healthy gut microbiome.

The 2026 WHO guidelines on prevention of dementia states the following about healthy diets: ‘These diets emphasise fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, while limiting red meat, saturated fats and sugary foods’.

What do we know about plant-based diets (vegetarian and vegan) and risk of dementia?

There are limited data on fully plant-based diets and risk of dementia. The only study we had for a while was a preliminary report from the Adventist Health Study suggesting that meat eaters had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia compared to vegetarians. A  more recent publication analysed data from the prospective Tzu Chi Vegetarian Study. It included data from 5710 participants who were aged 50 years or older at the time of recruitment in 2005 and followed till 2014. The participants were all Buddhist volunteers, 3154 were non-vegetarian and 1737 were vegetarian. During the average follow up of 9.2 years there were 121 cases of dementia (37 vegetarians and 84 non-vegetarians) identified and vegetarians had a 33% reduction in the risk of dementia. Subgroup analysis found that vegetarians were specifically protected against dementia under the age of 75 years.

An updated analysis of causes of death of participants in the Adventist Health Study-2 found that people consuming meat-free diets, including vegans, had a lower risk of premature mortality (<65 years), mainly due to the lower risk of conditions such as heart and kidney diseases and type 2 diabetes. However, by the age of 85 years this advantage had disappeared because of a weak association with an increased risk of neurological conditions, including dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s disease. It is not entirely clear how to interpret these findings, but one suggestion is that lower lifelong intakes of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids could adversely impact brain health late in life.

Which foods are best to avoid or reduce in the diet?

Higher intake of saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of dementia. Saturated fat in the diet comes predominantly from animal foods and the consumption of processed red meat seems to be particularly bad for brain health. Diets high in refined sugars, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, adversely affect brain health. Even artificially-sweetened beverages may be detrimental because of associations with higher risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Which foods and nutrients are particularly good for preventing dementia?

The best foods for brain health are the brightly coloured fruit and vegetables with particular benefits for consuming leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables and berries. Intervention studies have shown that eating more fruit and vegetables can improve memory and attention at all ages of life.

Fibre intake is correlated with lower risk of many chronic diseases, including those that increase the risk of dementia, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood lipids. Fibre also benefits the gut bacteria, which then can make short chain fatty acids needed for brain hormone production and for reducing inflammation. In a Japanese cohort of 3739 individuals, dietary fibre intake was inversely associated with risk of dementia. Those consuming the most, particularly soluble fibre, had a 26% reduction in the risk of developing dementia over the almost 20 year follow up. Similarly, in a US population study, fibre intake was associated with better cognitive function.

Eating fruit and vegetables that are high in flavonoids may be of particular benefit. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols representing more than 5,000 bioactive compounds that are found in a variety of fruit and vegetables, including grapes, berries, apples and in tea. Several studies have reported a beneficial effect of flavonoids for preventing cognitive decline, reducing the risk by around 20%. One reason why polyphenols in general may be beneficial for brain health is because they lead to the generation of beneficial bioactive compounds by the gut microbiota that can be detected in the blood and are associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline.

Higher intakes of carotenoids from yellow/orange vegetables and dark leafy green have also been found to protect brain health. A study that followed 927 elderly US residents for 7 years found that those consuming the most carotenoid-rich foods had a 48% reduction in the risk of developing dementia. Higher blood levels of carotenoids and other plant-derived antioxidants are also associated with a significant reduction in the risk of dementia.

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is very important for the developing brain and has also been shown to be important in protecting the ageing brain. The brain is composed of around 50–60% fat and has a particularly high content of DHA. Regular consumption of fish appears to reduce the risk of dementia and it is thought that this is due to the high DHA content. Although the data on the role of DHA supplementation is not always consistent, it may be prudent for older adults on a plant-based diet and those at higher risk of dementia to take an algae-derived DHA supplement. We know that algae supplements raise blood levels to a similar degree to fish consumption.

Alcohol and risk of dementia

We have been wrongly convinced that light to moderate alcohol is good for health, especially the consumption of red wine. However, the prevailing narrative is now changing and it is generally accepted that there is no safe limit of alcohol to consume when it comes to optimising cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of cancer. The same applies to brain health. Studies have shown that even small amounts of alcohol can negatively impact the structure of the brain and contribute to an increased risk of dementia.

The importance of healthy lifestyle habits

All aspects of our lifestyle are important for prevention of dementia, not only diet. This includes regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management and maintaining healthy social connections. An analysis from the The Chicago Health and Aging Project, a population-based cohort study in the United States, assessed the impact of 5 healthy lifestyle habits on life expectancy and the risk of AD in 2449 men and women aged 65 years and older. A healthy lifestyle score was developed based on five modifiable lifestyle factors: a diet for brain health (Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay — MIND diet score), late life cognitive activities, moderate or vigorous physical activity (≥150 min/week), no smoking, and light to moderate alcohol consumption (women 1–15 g/day; men 1–30 g/day). Participants most adherent to a healthy lifestyle had a longer life expectancy and were more likely to spend these extra years without AD. Of note, the lifestyle score without including alcohol consumption was also associated with a lower risk of AD and mortality and therefore the advice remains that people who do not consume alcohol should not be encouraged to do so. Healthy lifestyles in general are independently associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, regardless of genetic risk or the presence of brain pathology determined at autopsy.

It’s never too late to adopt healthy lifestyle habits

This was demonstrated in the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), which examined the effects of a two-year comprehensive lifestyle intervention in 1,269 adults (60–77 years old) at risk of developing dementia. One group received the following intervention: a diet intervention based on the Finnish Nutrition Recommendations (emphasises whole plant foods and minimises animal-derived and processed foods), regular aerobic exercise and resistance training, cognitively challenging computer programmes, and intensive management of metabolic and vascular risk factors. The second group received standard care (simply advice to eat healthily and exercise). After 2 years, the intervention group had a significantly higher score in overall cognitive performance.

The POINTER study is unique in scale, diversity and duration and reinforces the findings of the FINGER study. This large, multi-centre, randomised clinical trial enrolled more than 2,100 adults aged 60–79 at elevated risk of cognitive decline due to sedentary lifestyles, suboptimal diets, cardiometabolic risk, or family history. Participants were assigned to either a structured, high-support programme or a lower-intensity, self-guided programme. Both emphasised the same principles: a healthier diet modelled on the MIND diet (rich in plant foods with proven brain benefits), regular physical activity, cognitive and social engagement, and cardiovascular risk monitoring.

After two years, cognition improved in both groups, but gains were greater in the structured intervention, where regular meetings, coaching, and accountability helped people stay on track. The structured group showed significantly better improvements in global cognition, particularly in executive function, compared to the self-guided group. Importantly, the benefits were consistent across key subgroups, including those at genetic risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr Dean Ornish has published the first randomised study of an intensive plant-based lifestyle intervention in people with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia. The intervention was similar to his previous studies with a 100% plant-based diet, regular physical activity, social support and stress management. Of note, a number of nutritional supplements were also used, including omega-3 fatty acids. 51 participants were enrolled, and the study lasted for 20 weeks. Compared to the control group in which no participants demonstrated improvement, the intervention group were more likely to have stable cognitive function or demonstrate significant improvements.

Conclusions

We have enough evidence to support the important role of a healthy plant-based diet alongside other health lifestyle habits for promoting brain health and preventing dementia. Lifestyle interventions not only reduce the risk of common chronic health conditions known to increase the risk of dementia, but also address the underlying pathogenic mechanisms at play in the development of dementia.

Resources

Factsheet on Alzheirmer’s disease

Everything you need to know about soya and health

By Isabelle Sadler, PBHP UK Research Assistant, MSc Nutrition Student

Introduction

Soya has been part of the human diet for thousands of years, with records suggesting it was first consumed in China more than 2,000 years ago. Since then, it has spread across Asia and, more recently, into mainstream diets in the UK, appearing in everything from tofu and edamame to soya milk and meat alternatives.

All soya foods originate from the soya bean, a nutrient-rich member of the legume family. Broadly, soya foods can be divided into fermented varieties, such as natto, tempeh, and miso, and unfermented forms, including tofu, edamame, and soya milk.

Despite its long history and growing popularity, soya remains one of the most debated foods in nutrition science. Here we summarise some of the most important, and latest, evidence on consuming soya. From the health benefits, to the myths, and best ways to eat (or drink!) it.

Soya as part of a healthy dietary pattern

Soya is widely considered a healthy food to include regularly in the diet, and is included in many recommended dietary patterns and country dietary guidelines.

The Portfolio diet is a plant-based eating pattern that is designed to lower cholesterol. It is low in saturated fat and includes specific cholesterol lowering foods, namely soya and legumes, nuts, plant sterols, and foods rich in viscous fibres such as oats and beans. A higher Portfolio Diet Score has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke in observational studies, as well as a more favourable blood lipid and inflammatory profile.

Soya is also included in the UK Eatwell Guide, you can find fortified soya drinks in the ‘dairy and alternatives food’ group and soya proteins such as tofu and beancurd, within the ‘beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins’ group.

The 2025 EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet recommends 2-3 servings of legumes per day, which includes soya and soya products.

Phytoestrogens and isoflavones

Soya beans are a uniquely rich source of compounds called isoflavones – particularly two types known as daidzein and genistein. Isoflavones belong to a broader family of naturally occurring plant compounds called phytoestrogens, so named because they weakly mimic the effects of the human hormone oestrogen.

Isoflavones have a similar structure to the hormone oestrogen, which allows them to interact with the body’s oestrogen receptors – the docking sites that oestrogen normally binds to. However, they are not the same as oestrogen, and should not be considered equivalent. The differences matter both at a molecular level and in terms of their effects in the body.

Oestrogen receptors come in two forms: alpha and beta. Human oestrogen binds to both equally, but isoflavones show a strong preference for the beta type. This distinction is significant, because alpha and beta receptors are distributed differently across tissues in the body. By preferentially targeting beta receptors, isoflavones can have different effects in different tissues. For this reason, they are classified as selective oestrogen receptor modulators, or SERMs.

It is largely this phytoestrogen content that has given soya its controversial reputation. The belief is that these compounds might interfere with the body’s hormonal system, which has led some to think that eating soya could affect breast cancer risk, male and female hormone levels, and thyroid function. There is no evidence to suggest that soya adversely affects hormonal health in men or women, in fact studies demonstrate beneficial impacts.

Soya and health outcomes

Soya contains all nine essential amino acids in quantities that closely match human requirements and is therefore an excellent source of protein. It is also a good source of fibre, calcium, non-haem iron and omega-3 fatty acids. This combination of nutrients, alongside isoflavones, contributes to soya being a health-promoting food, and its association with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases

In 2026, a comprehensive umbrella review of meta-analyses on soya consumption and health was published. Across seven studies, regular soya intake was associated with a large reduction in incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases, up to 21% in one of the included meta-analyses. The two studies that looked at stroke incidence and mortality also found a reduction in risk between 18% and 12%.

This may be, in part, due to soya’s effect on cholesterol. The same review found that soya protein significantly reduces total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. LDL-cholesterol is linked to a higher risk of heart disease. Soya may also help lower blood pressure, providing another route through which it could support heart health.

Cancer

Research also suggests benefits for cancer risk. The same 2026 review found that regular soya consumption was associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, gynecological cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and rectal cancer. A large systematic review and meta-analysis previously published in 2022 reinforced this, finding that higher soya intake was associated with a 10% reduction in overall cancer risk, with each additional 25g of soya per day linked to a 4% reduction. For site-specific cancers, lung and prostate cancers showed some of the most consistent effects for a reduction in risk. One exception worth noting is an increased risk of stomach cancer was observed in men consuming one to five cups of miso soup per day, though this is most likely due to miso’s high salt content rather than the soya itself.

On breast cancer specifically, a 2024 systematic review found that intake of soya protein and products was associated with a significantly reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence. While no association was seen for risk of breast cancer-specific mortality, a significant reduction in risk was found for estrogen receptor-positive disease in breast cancer-specific mortality. Soya foods should therefore be encouraged, even for women at high risk or with a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Soya protein has also been associated with a reduced risk of kidney disease and type 2 diabetes, better cognitive function, and improved bone health in women, suggesting that its benefits extend beyond heart health and cancer prevention.

Menopausal hot flushes

The idea that soya might ease menopausal hot flushes dates to the early 1990s, when researchers proposed that the weak oestrogen-like activity of isoflavones could help cushion the drop in oestrogen that women experience during the menopause transition. Three decades worth of clinical trials later, and the evidence is still somewhat mixed.

The majority of these trials have used isolated soya isoflavone supplements to test whether they can alleviate hot flushes, which may contribute to the wide variation in results seen in clinical trials. The supplements used can either be produced from whole soya beans with an isoflavone profile similar to that found in soya foods (genistein is the predominant isoflavone) or from the germ portion of the soya bean which is much lower in genistein. The trials using the former, with at least 20 mg genistein and 50–60 mg total isoflavones consistently show isoflavones to be efficacious for reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes.

There has been a small, randomised study of a whole food plant-based diet with the addition of 86g of cooked soya beans in the intervention arm, compared to the usual diet in the control group. The impact on hot flashes assessed after 12-weeks showed that although both groups reported improvements, participants on a plant-based diet with added soya had a greater reduction in the frequency and severity of hot flashes.

Despite these inconsistent results, it can be argued that results are good enough to recommend the regular intake of soya as a food (not as a tablet), not least because of a number of other benefits and the absence of side effects. Soya foods should be recommended over isolated soya isoflavones where possible, as these foods are a composite of intricate biologically active molecules rather than containing just isoflavones.

Thyroid function

Scientists have been investigating the relationship between soya and thyroid function since as far back as 1933. Decades of research since then have produced a fairly clear picture: isoflavones do not affect thyroid hormone levels in people with normal thyroid function.

Even in people with subclinical hypothyroidism (where the thyroid is underactive but not yet causing obvious symptoms), or in those whose iodine intake is on the low side, current evidence suggests isoflavones are unlikely to cause significant problems.

One practical consideration does apply to people taking levothyroxine, the medication commonly prescribed for an underactive thyroid. Soya may reduce how well the drug is absorbed, though it‘s worth noting that this is also true of food in general, as well as many other supplements and medications. This does not mean people on levothyroxine need to avoid soya altogether. The simplest solution is timing. Taking the medication around an hour before eating, or waiting several hours after a meal before taking it, is enough to get around the issue. For those who eat soya regularly and consistently, another option is for their doctor to adjust their levothyroxine dose to account for it, but please note this is something for individuals to discuss with their healthcare professional.

Soya protein for muscle mass and strength

Evidence indicates that soya protein is as effective as whey and other animal proteins for supporting gains in muscle strength and lean body mass. A 2018 meta-analysis of nine studies comparing soya protein with animal proteins found that supplementing resistance training with either whey or soya protein resulted in significant improvements in strength, with no significant differences between groups. Similarly, both lean body mass and strength increased in participants consuming soya protein and those consuming other protein sources (including beef, milk, and dairy proteins), with no significant differences in outcomes between the groups.

Soya and the environment

Since the 1950s, global soya bean production has increased 15 times over. Growing soya at such a massive scale is not sustainable, and has led to vast areas of forest being burnt and cut down to make way for soya plantations. Converting forests and grasslands into farmland for soya also releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which cause climate change.

Some have blamed plant-based diets for the increase in soya production and the associated environmental damage. But that’s far from the reality. Globally, around 90% of all soya is fed to chickens, pigs and cows, and only around 5% is eaten by humans. The huge increase in soya production is therefore mostly the result of meeting the growing demand for foods made from animals. This is also true in the UK, where 90% of imported soya is fed to chickens and pigs and can be directly linked back to deforestation in the Global South. Eating soya directly is far more efficient than feeding it to animals first.

Soya allergy

While soya can be beneficial for almost everyone, those with a soya allergy need to completely avoid it. Soya is classed as one of the 14 main food allergens in the UK, and all food and drinks ingredient labels for sale within the UK must clearly state soya as an allergen.

Those with a soya allergy don’t need to worry, there are many other health-promoting foods to include in the diet instead. For more information on soya allergy, please refer to the factsheet on our website. Please consult your doctor if you suspect you have an allergy or intolerance to soya or need to avoid it for medical reasons.

Ways to include soya in the diet

Take home points

• Soya provides a high quality protein source containing all nine essential amino acids and many other vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, making it an excellent addition to any dietary pattern.
• Regular soya consumption is associated with many health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, several cancers, as well as potential benefits for bone health, kidney health, and menopausal symptoms.
• Soya foods do not adversely affect hormonal health. Individuals with breast cancer can be reassured that regular soya intake is safe and can be encouraged.
• Soya production has significantly lower impacts on the environment compared to the production of animal-sourced foods.
• Aiming for around two portions of soya food a day is recommended, for example, a glass of calcium-fortified soya milk, 4 tablespoons of tofu, tempeh, or edamame beans.

Resources:

• What you need to know about soy and health
• The health effects of soy: A reference guide for health professionals
• Soya Nutrition, Health and Sustainability
• In a Nutshell podcast episode on soy