Eating this product instead of meat reduces cholesterol levels. Results after just a few weeks
A healthy and balanced diet should include protein. However, you do not have to eat meat – for the sake of your health, it is better to limit its consumption. Recent research shows that one meat substitute helps to quickly reduce cholesterol levels.
Saturated fats, which are present in red meat, industrial meats and offal, lead to increased cholesterol levels in the blood. This condition is dangerous to our health because it can result in serious diseases, including a heart attack. High cholesterol may also contribute to the development of atherosclerosis or ischemic heart disease. Therefore, it is worth reaching for plant-based meat substitutes, which are becoming more and more popular.
This meat substitute reduces cholesterol levels
Although it is obvious that plant meat substitutes have a positive impact on our health, especially cholesterol levels, it turns out that mushrooms are unrivaled in this respect – specifically mycoprotein, i.e. protein produced from mushrooms.
Proof of their beneficial effects on our body is, among others, the latest study, the results of which were published in “Clinical Nutrition”. It lasted four weeks and was attended by 72 people aged 18 to 70. All participants had a body mass index (BMI) of 27.5 or greater (indicating overweight). Researchers assumed that this criterion was also responsible for elevated cholesterol levels. The participants were divided into two groups. The first of them ate fish and meat during the experiment, and the second ate mushrooms rich in mycoproteins. It turned out that after a month of the study, people who ate mushrooms had a 10 percent lower level of bad cholesterol. Additionally, their blood sugar levels also decreased.
A new way to reduce cholesterol
People can influence their cholesterol levels by changing their lifestyle, including changing their diet. If further research confirms these results, consuming mycoprotein could become another tool to help people maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
“So far, we have studied the positive effects of mycoproteins under strictly controlled laboratory conditions. We weren't sure if it would work in “normal life”. Our findings are very promising. Just a few weeks of following a proper diet is enough to notice positive effects,” comments the author of the study, Dr. George Pavis. However, it should be remembered that the study had some limitations – it was short and involved a small group of people. Therefore, further analyzes are necessary. “How exactly this change in cholesterol levels occurs is unclear. We believe this is due to the type and amount of fiber found in Quorn food, particularly mycoprotein,” the researcher added.
What mushrooms exactly are we talking about?
“We show that when participants are provided with Quorn products to eat at home for 4 weeks, their levels of 'total' and 'bad' cholesterol drop by 5-10 per cent. This is a really promising drop in such a short period of time. Now we need to see what happens if we extend this time, perhaps to 3 or 6 months,” added the study's author.
Mycoprotein comes from a mushroom and is rich in protein. Products with mycoprotein can be a substitute for animal protein sources, such as meat or fish. Quorn, a meat substitute with mycoproteins, is sold in many countries around the world both as a semi-finished product for further processing, but also in the form of cutlets or sausages.
