A recent study reveals that being vegan or vegetarian might help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

.  In a research, the diets of 2,400 omnivores, vegans, and vegetarians were contrasted.

. It was discovered that those who didn't consume meat had lower cholesterol levels than those who did. 

. Diets based on plants often have lower amounts of saturated fat, which raises cholesterol.

. According to a study, vegan and vegetarian diets are associated with reduced cholesterol levels. 

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The study, which was released on Wednesday in the European Heart Journal, examined 30 studies completed between 1982 and October 2022 to see whether there was a correlation between blood levels of cholesterol and certain fats and proteins as well as a vegetarian, vegan, or omnivorous diet.

According to the World Health Organisation, cardiovascular disorders including heart disease are the main cause of mortality globally. The authors claimed that this is why.

The studies, which spanned 10 nations, including the US, and roughly 2,400 people, ranged in length from three weeks to 18 months. The participants' ages ranged, on average, from 28 to 67.

While some of the studies focused on individuals with no underlying medical issues, others examined people with heart-related illnesses including obesity and high blood pressure.

Vegetarians and vegans had a 7% decrease in total cholesterol levels during the course of the study compared to meat eaters. Additionally, "bad" LDL cholesterol plummeted by 10% on average in the plant-based participants, while apoB protein levels, which aid in transporting fat and cholesterol throughout the body, decreased by 14%.

As one of the study's authors, Professor Ruth Frikke-Schmidt, told BBC News, "That corresponds to a third of the effect of a cholesterol-lowering statin [pill] — so that's really substantial."According to the study's authors, plant-based meals often contain lower amounts of saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat, which may have had an impact on people's blood cholesterol levels in general.

Vegetarians and vegans need ensure they get minerals like vitamin B12.

The American Heart Association recommends consuming less red meat as part of a "heart-healthy diet" to control blood pressure and lower the risk of heart attack and stroke on its website.

Cutting less on red meat is good for one's heart, but eliminating it entirely is not required, according to Tracy Parker, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation in the UK, who was also excluded from the research. She recommended adopting a Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet, which has a lot of plant-based foods and some unprocessed meat, is also noted in the report as having health advantages. Insider previously claimed that processed meats like bacon and sausages are associated with heart disease in part because of the high salt content that can raise blood pressure.

While vegan and vegetarian diets can be advantageous to a person's heart health, according to Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston Medical School in the UK who was not involved in the study, those planning to give up meat should think about how to get nutrients like iron, iodine, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.