The investigator-blind trial—which involved 20 healthy male adults who were randomly assigned to consume 240 grams per day of red and processed meat or an equivalent amount of Quorn over two 14-day periods—also revealed further heart health benefits from consuming mycoprotein, the unique ingredient in all Quorn products. Researchers identified a clinically meaningful trend toward lower systolic andin the mycoprotein group, potentially contributing to improved cardiovascular health.
Elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, often referred to as bad cholesterol, can lead to the build-up of fatty plaques in a person's arteries, which restrict blood flow and increase their risk of a heart attack or stroke. Currently, high LDL cholesterol is associated with a quarter of the 460 heart and circulatory disease deaths recorded in the U.K. every day.
"It's important as it highlights how making a simple dietary change to consume mycoprotein can deliver impressive heart health benefits in a very short period of time, cutting the risk of a person dying from cardiovascular disease by as much as nine percent according to some models.