Not all plant foods are the same for your heart—eating things like whole grains and nuts may help lower your risk of heart disease, but eating sugary drinks and white bread might raise it.

If you eat a lot of plant-based foods like white bread, soda, fries, and candy instead of healthy plants like vegetables and whole grains, you might be more likely to get heart disease—even if you don’t eat any meat. It’s not just about avoiding animal products; what kind of plants you eat matters.

People who eat more healthy plant foods like whole grains, fruits, nuts, and veggies—instead of processed stuff—tend to have a 25% lower chance of getting heart disease, especially if they’re health professionals in the U.S.

If you eat a lot of plant-based foods like white bread, soda, fries, and candy, you might be more likely to get heart disease than people who don’t eat as much of these foods—even though they’re still plant-based.

People who eat lots of healthy plant foods like whole grains, fruits, nuts, and veggies over a long time have a 25% lower chance of getting heart disease than those who don’t eat as many of these foods—so what you eat within a plant-based diet really matters for your heart.

Eating more healthy plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, and beans is linked to a lower risk of heart disease—even when you account for common health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. This suggests these foods protect your heart in ways that go beyond just fixing those common issues.