Eating a plant-based diet cuts your cardiovascular disease risk by a fifth, say some. Scientists examined 30 studies, with more than 2,000 participants, for levels of good and bad cholesterol, a fat-carrying protein and other factors. Researchers found vegans and vegetarians had an average reduction in cholesterol levels of seven per cent, with a 10 per cent reduction in bad cholesterol and a 14 per cent reduction in fat-carrying protein levels, compared to omnivores. Extrapolating the figures, eating meat-free for 15 years means reducing your heart disease risk by a fifth. Pass the vegetables!
