Vegetarians a target for processed foods that bring depression

A high-quality plant-based diet has protective health benefits, but vegetarians must be wary not to fall into this trap, experts warn.

Vegetarians are at risk of a low-quality diet that could lead to poor mental health, a new Queensland study has revealed.

The vegan and vegetarian market is flooded with packaged food products high in refined vegetable oils, refined grains, salt and sugar, and plant eaters with a fondness for these processed foods are susceptible to depression, researchers at Bond University have found.

Lead author Megan Lee, a researcher in nutritional psychiatry at the university, said the findings were significant as 12 per cent of the population was now meat-free.

“There is a general perception that following a plant-based diet is inherently healthy, but like any diet it comes down to what you put in your mouth,” Dr Lee said.

“Vegans and vegetarians are not automatically eating heaps of fruit and veg because there are all these products out there that are fully processed, fully refined.”

Plant Vibes cafe owner Eugenie Hows. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Dr Lee said the protective health effect of a high-quality plant-based diet was likely due to the presence of complex carbohydrates, fibre, probiotics and antioxidants, which had all been found to decrease symptoms of depression.

But the research indicated switching to a high-quality plant-based diet was not a cure for those already experiencing depression.

“It seems to have more a protective role. Our research did not find that a plant-based diet was a treatment or fix for those who were already depressed,” the researcher said.

Vegans and vegetarians are already more vulnerable to depression than the general population.

The research was published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.

Eugenie Hows, owner of Brisbane plant-based cafe Plant Vibes, said a vegan diet done right could have great health benefits.

After nine years living as a vegan she has seen improvements in her skin, sleep, energy and mental health.

“I don’t want to say that it’s something that everyone has to do, but I do think it’s something that everyone can benefit from, even if they tried it out a few days a week,” she said.