A British study has found that vegetarians eat more ultra-processed foods than meat-eaters.
Although vegetarians’ diets are rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, they consume large amounts of ultra-processed foods in the form of chocolate, ready meals, frozen pizza and soda.
A team of experts led by Imperial College London surveyed nearly 200,000 British citizens and tried to find out about their average daily consumption of ultra-processed foods and their usual diet.
The study found that ultra-processed foods made up a fifth of all participants’ diets, but vegetarians were found to rely more on these foods.
Overall, the researchers found that vegetarians eat more ultra-processed foods than meat-eaters.
The researchers said that the study results showed an increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods, plant-based milks, and meat alternatives among vegetarians, which is worrying.
