In observational study recently published in the BMJ found that a healthy plant-based diet was associated with lower blood pressure, but an unhealthy plant-based diet was not. The study compared dietary recall and blood pressure data from over 4,600 men and women ages 40 to 59 living in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and China.
Plant-based foods scored as “healthy” included whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, vegetable oils, and tea/coffee. Less healthy plant-based foods included fruit juices, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, potatoes, and sweets and desserts. Animal foods (dairy products, eggs, fish and shellfish, total meat, and mixed foods like a hamburger on a bun) were also considered less healthy.
Diets that were simply low in animal products were not associated with lower blood pressure. Sugar-sweetened beverages and refined grains are animal-free, but they are associated with negative health effects.
This study supports the concept that, while one does not need to become vegan or vegetarian, minimizing animal proteins and low-quality plant-based foods while emphasizing intake of high-quality plant foods is good for blood pressure.