Report on the Plant-based Food and Health Workshop

The Plant-Based Foods and Health – Misconceptions, Exaggerations, Health Benefits and Risks of Plant-Based Foods workshop was held on 13 November 2024 at the Magnet Community Centre.

The aim of our event series

We want to raise awareness of plant-based foods and diets among institutional and policy actors, as well as professional organisations working in the field of nutrition and health. The working conference on 13 November focused on the relationship between plant-based foods and our health. Experts who have been researching and applying plant-based diets for many years, or who have a professional background in diet-related research, were invited to attend. Experts who had not previously sat down together to discuss and reflect on the future of plant-based diets sat down for a panel discussion. We particularly welcome the presence of the President of the Hungarian Dietetic Association (MDOSZ), Zsuzsanna Szűcs, and the fact that MDOSZ is becoming more open in its positions towards plant-based diets.

The event was made possible with the support of BiOrganik; we thank them for their support.

Efforts to reduce salt consumption

The lectures were opened by Andrea Zentai, Head of the Department of Nutrition of the National Centre for Public Health and Pharmacy, who gave a presentation on the Nutritional Health Assessment of Plant-Based Foods. He highlighted salt among the nutrients, listing the disadvantages of its excessive consumption, stressing that the ideal daily intake for adults should be below 5 g. Although efforts are underway to reduce salt, it is difficult to reduce by food manufacturers and consumers because of its role as a flavour enhancer and preservative.

Change would require 4 factors: food reformulation (changing the composition of food), a supportive food environment (making widely available what is healthy), education, and informative packaging. For change to be more than just a theory, it is important that reduced salt foods are available, accessible and affordable in shops and catering, and that consumers can actually eat as recommended.

There is no official data on the salt intake of people on a plant-based diet. Food types such as breads, pickles and canned foods are high in salt. A survey of the salt content of breads in 2015 and 2017 found that, while there was a reduction internationally, there was no reduction in Hungary.

Chef Gergely Zsolnay, sitting in the audience, added that there are 5 basic flavours and observed that Hungarians often substitute salt for the other flavours. He says it is more important for guests to eat delicious than healthy, but that the choice can shape tastes.

It is important that a climate of supportive expertise surrounds the switchover

Dr. Zoltán Szabó, a dietician, doctor, adjunct professor at the University of Pécs and author of the Nutrition Beyond Meat nutrition advice website, argued during the day in his presentation and at the round table discussion that plant-based diets should not be treated in relation to each other, but in their own right. It is important that those who choose this lifestyle are surrounded by a supportive atmosphere from professionals. Without judgement and without comparisons with the consumption of animal foods, accept that a plant-based diet exists on its own.

How do we know that a plant-based diet CAN be healthy?

He said that there are now 38 international recommendations that refer to plant-based diets, including several European ones. For example, the new German recommendation considers a plant-based diet with vitamin B12 intake and careful dietary composition appropriate for the general population. In addition, plant-based diets have health, animal welfare, environmental and sustainability benefits. As regards B12, he said that it can only be biosynthesised by bacteria of microbial origin. It is a misconception that animal foods are its source, they are only its carrier. It is also a misconception that protein from plant sources is deficient. Unprocessed plant sources contain essential amino acids, with a varied diet our body gets the nutrients it needs and builds protein from them.

A plant-based diet has many benefits: it reduces cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular and cancer diseases. However, it can be “spoiled” by eating unhealthy foods, so it makes a difference whether you choose a whole-food plant-based diet. An inadequate plant-based diet can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, while a whole food plant based diet reduces it. An 8-week study found that people on a plant-based diet have lower fat and oil consumption and higher fibre intake than those on a mixed diet, even if their diet is not perfectly healthy.

The NÉGYOSZ 2023 survey shows that a significant proportion of people are open to trying a plant-based diet. Check out the results of the survey!

Zoltán says:

the main problem is not with the recommendations, as they tell people worldwide to make the majority of their diets plant-based. Meanwhile, it is also difficult to get ordinary people to eat a little fruit or vegetables. And processed foods are a separate problem, whether the diet is plant-based or meat-based. True, the WHO has declared processed meat products to be carcinogenic, but this is not expected for processed vegetable products, as the science does not currently show such a risk.

Nutritional dilemmas of plant-based diets

Next, Zsuzsanna Szűcs, President of the National Association of Hungarian Dietitians (MDOSZ), presented the dilemmas of plant-based diets in nutritional science.

Studying the impact of nutrition on health is difficult because we rarely consume isolated ingredients, our diets are complex, and dietary patterns and individual physiological differences vary. There can be large differences between two people on a plant-based diet because of their motivations, which may be health, ethical, environmental or religious, resulting in different dietary habits.

The nutritional value of food does not depend on whether it is of plant or animal origin, but on consumption habits, the degree of processing and heat treatment.

Among the nutritional dilemmas of plant-based diets, he cited:

• The dilemma of nutrient intake and supply: the advantage of a plant-based diet is that those who follow it consume the most vegetables and fruits, have a high intake of dietary fibre, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, vitamins B1 and B6, and have a number of phytochemicals with positive physiological effects (e.g. On the other hand, there may be a disadvantage in terms of a higher risk of consumption of more plant foods, e.g. pesticides, antinutrients, mycotoxins, and a higher risk of deficiency in proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, vitamin B12.
  
• Dilemmas of nutritional recommendations: we never reach the end point in this, it is a continuous evolution. It is appropriate to update the recommendation every 5 years, and this is what the MDOSZ is doing.
  
  
  The Smart Plate also focuses on plant foods, with an update foreseen for 2026, and Zsuzsanna also proposes a revision of the MDOSZ position statement on plant-based diets in view of the dynamic evolution of the field.

The spectrum of plant foods from hyperfoods to ultra-processed foods

Zsuzsanna Huszár dietitian, nutritionist, phytotherapist, microbiome specialist, creator of the Dietitian. On the spectrum of plant foods from hyperfoods to ultra-processed foods, she talked about how, if we were to rank plant foods on a scale of health, sugary soft drinks are the worst, because although they are “accidentally vegan”, they are unhealthy. This is followed by plant-based cheeses and ultra-processed free-from products, and then ‘only’ processed foods. In the middle of the scale are plant-based milks, while at the green end are home-grown products with health-promoting ingredients, such as Vega-Farm, Toffini, Dénes Natura, and health-focused brands such as BLNCE and Living Foods.

Nielsen research looked at the openness of Hungarians aged 24-74 to plant-based foods. It found that rejection of plant-based foods is common, but what that means is determined by the individual. Many people have reservations about plant-based products because of their nutritional value and oil content, but even more so because of their soy content and value for money. There are common misconceptions, as non-vegan sausages may also contain a lot of soya, while vegan versions can be made from wheat or pea protein. As for prices: at Lidl, vegetable drinks and products are the same price as meat and dairy products.

Zsuzsanna believes that there is still a great need for education, as there is a huge confusion in the market for free products. She sees the Back to Roots movement as a good thing, which aims to change the way foods made by fermentation and sprouting are perceived, and gave some positive examples of Hungarian hyperfood developments.

How a plant-based diet affects the microbiome

The series of lectures was concluded by Dr. Éva Polyák, Deputy Head of the Institute of Nutrition and Dietetics, Associate Professor at the ETH PTE. She analysed the relationship between plant-based diets and the microbiome, emphasising the importance of gut flora health. Among the benefits of a plant-based diet, she mentioned that it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and certain cancers, and modulates immune function. He presented a study from 2024 that examined the effects of 4 different diets on the microbiome. He found that although there are no huge differences in the gut microbiome of people following a plant-based and a mixed diet, there are differences that are related to diet.

In terms of the microbiome, our gut bacterial population seems to have evolved to adapt to a diet of cooked foods, suggesting that eating only raw foods may not be a healthier option.

What can I do to keep my gut microbiome healthy? Eat fibre-rich foods (wholegrain products, dry cereals), polyphenol-rich foods, prebiotics (e.g. artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, asparagus, bananas), probiotics (e.g. fermented vegetables, dietary supplements), and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

What next?

At the end of the working conference, we held a panel discussion led by independent food policy analyst Réka Szöllősi on whether the dietary habits of Hungarian adults have changed over the past 20 years, based on the results of the OTAP surveys. According to the responses, Hungarians continue to consume little fibre and whole grains, and their fat intake is high, while their protein intake is 40% higher than the required amount. There is no significant change, so education, support and government vision for future targets are important. It has been suggested that taxes to reduce tobacco and alcohol consumption could also be useful for food, and it is questionable whether it is the responsibility of the state to implement this. The EU subsidy scheme could also help in the switch to plant-based foods, the rest is up to Hungarian agricultural policy.

During the discussion, a number of forward-looking ideas and insights came to the fore. Positive incentives, such as financial incentives (price), were also discussed as a way of influencing habits, as it is important to ensure that healthy food is available to the poorer. Easy choices should be made good choices.

Several participants agreed that supportive professionals and credible information are especially important for those choosing a plant-based diet. In the absence of these, people turn to self-proclaimed experts and influencers. Dr. Zoltán Szabó offers an optional plant-based course to students at the University of Pécs (PTE), and during practical kitchen sessions, students replace animal-based products with plant-based ones, to which the university is receptive.

However, it’s not a given that every related training includes discussions about the plant-based diet. It doesn’t appear much in medical education. If doctors don’t receive training, nothing authorizes them to give nutritional advice. Integrating it into education would be important because even if students don’t want to change personally, they carry what they’ve learned with them. For dietitians, it was included in the curriculum under the title “non-traditional forms of nutrition.” A good goal could also be for dietitians not to lag behind doctors in terms of recognition but to attain their proper place. Those present were also unaware of similar coursework in food engineering education, but at the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE), several theses on plant-based foods have been prepared recently, and it happens that in product development, students initiate plant-based innovations.

Two experts mentioned that there is a lack of real domestic research data, and that, alongside education, scientific debates are also important to discuss issues such as B12 and protein. It would also be beneficial if the nutritional science profession could come a bit closer together. There are many professional colleges, departments, and associations; reaching a unity could be the foundation from which we can move forward—together.

The attendees agreed that there is still work to be done in the field of product development. Those transitioning to a plant-based diet almost invariably give up cheese last—yet there are a limited number of good vegan cheeses available on the market. This is a simple economic interest independent of governments: if there are more cheeses and sausages that are better, healthier, and more affordable than animal-based ones, change can occur. But achieving change is more difficult than that, as meat-eating is part of people’s self-image, and they take even the mention of the topic as a personal attack. Therefore, psychological aspects matter a lot.

In Summary

A good cooperation is developing between MDOSZ and NÉGYOSZ, which will hopefully provide a good forum for future joint work.

We did not think a decade ago that these experts would be sitting together and openly discussing plant-based diets. This in itself is progress we can be happy about, but many tasks still lie ahead of us in the acceptance and promotion of plant-based diets and plant-based foods.