Swapping meat and fish for mycoprotein may significantly lower cholesterol levels, finds study

A recent study published in Clinical Nutrition concluded that those who eat mycoprotein experience a 10% drop in certain cholesterol levels.

Proper nutrition relies heavily on a balanced diet, which includes protein from various sources. Researchers are exploring non-animal protein sources and their impact on cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Protein is an essential nutrient for the body’s systems. Mycoprotein, derived from a fungus, is used in some meat alternatives.

Laboratory-controlled studies have evidenced that Substituting dietary meat and fish for mycoprotein, a fungal-derived food source rich in protein and fibre, reduces circulating cholesterol. Researchers examined whether consuming mycoprotein-containing food products at home could impact cholesterol levels and other markers of cardiometabolic health in overweight and hypercholesterolaemic adults.

Seventy-two participants were randomized into a controlled, parallel-group trial conducted in a free-living setting. For four weeks, they received home deliveries of either meat/fish control products or mycoprotein-containing food products. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for serum lipids, blood glucose, and c-peptide concentrations before and after the intervention.

Key findings from the study are:

· Serum total cholesterol concentrations were unchanged throughout the intervention in the control group (CON) but decreased by 5 ± 2 % in MYC (mycoprotein group)

· Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were also unchanged in CON but decreased in MYC by 10 ± 3 % and 6 ± 2 %

· Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and free triglyceride concentrations were unaffected in CON or MYC.

· Post-intervention, MYC displayed lower mean blood glucose and c-peptide concentration vs CON.

The study revealed that incorporating mycoprotein-rich foods into one’s diet can effectively reduce cholesterol levels in overweight, hypercholesterolemic adults. Consuming mycoprotein is a feasible and practical strategy to improve cardiometabolic health in at-risk individuals under free-living conditions. This strategy effectively reduces circulating cholesterol, blood glucose and c-peptide concentrations in adults at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Marlow Foods Ltd sponsored the study.

Reference:

Pavis, G. F., Iniesta, R., Roper, H., Theobald, H., Derbyshire, E., Finnigan, T. J., Stephens, F. B., & Wall, B. T. (2024). A four-week dietary intervention with mycoprotein-containing food products reduces serum cholesterol concentrations in community-dwelling, overweight adults: a randomised controlled trial. Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2024.01.023