Ultra-processed foods, such as meat replacements and protein powders, allow vegans to meet their protein requirements, according to recent research.
Nutrition experts have often debated whether a vegan diet can provide enough protein because plant-based foods tend to be less protein-rich than meat, eggs and dairy.
However, the 774 vegan Brazilians who participated in this study were found, on average, to consume a healthy amount of protein and all the essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins that we need in our diet.
"Our results contradict the stigma that a vegan diet can't provide the amount of protein and essential amino acids a person needs, and show that a vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate," said study author Hamilton Roschel, head of the Applied Physiology and Nutrition Research Group at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in a statement.
"Ultra-processed food" (UPF) refers to edible substances produced with industrial processes and added chemicals.
The average U.S. diet consisted of approximately 57 percent UPF in 2018, according to research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, but the current figure is likely higher.
In this study, vegans who ate more ultra-processed protein products—such as vegan alternatives to meat and dairy and protein supplements like powders and smoothies—were likelier to eat enough protein.
In contrast, vegans who mainly consumed unprocessed or minimally processed sources of protein—such as lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts and seeds—were less likely to meet their protein needs.
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-sourced UPF was associated with a 12 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease—but that study didn't differentiate between protein-rich and protein-poor foods, and most UPF tends to be protein-poor.
Furthermore, that study analyzed the diets of people from Britain, whose diets were roughly half UPF, whereas the vegan Brazilians in this study ate just 13.2 percent UPF.
"The vegans included in the study consumed ultra-processed products less than the [Brazilian] general population," said Roschel.
Research has consistently shown associations between more UPF in the diet—which tends to contain excessive sugar, starch, fat, salt and chemical additives—and a plethora of negative health outcomes, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, some types of cancer and premature death.
However, a study published earlier this week found that ultra-processed bread, cereal and plant-based protein products were associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
"Although they tend to be classified as ultra-processed products, TSP [textured soy protein] and protein supplements aren't necessarily unhealthy, which can't be said of ultra-processed products that contain high levels of fat, sugar, sodium, preservatives and artificial additives, for example," said Roschel.
"TSP is an important source of protein and essential amino acids for vegans, even though it's classified as ultra-processed.
"Ultra-processed products vary considerably in terms of formulation, and despite the consensus that they should generally be avoided, it isn't reasonable to ignore the clear differences between them."
Participants in this study were vegan men and women in Brazil who kept food diaries for a day. Scientists used this information to measure their intake of protein, amino acids, and UPF.
It was carried out at the University of São Paulo, Brazil—the same university that coined the term "ultra-processed food"—and funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation.
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