Vegan diets benefit health, but only if they're healthy

International scientists, including an Australian, looked at health records for more than 125,000 people in the UK, and found a healthy vegan diet was linked to lower risk of heart disease, cancer and premature death, compared with non-vegan diets. However, vegans who drank more sugary drinks and fruit juices, and ate more snacks, desserts, refined grains and potatoes had a higher risk of these conditions and premature death than non-vegans. Although this type of study cannot show a healthy vegan diet actually caused the improvements in health outcomes, the authors recommend people concerned about chronic disease adopt a plant-based diet that's low in animal products, sugary drinks, snacks and desserts, refined grains, potatoes, and fruit juices.