Background/Objectives: Dietary habits are among the most significant determinants of health. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional quality and cardiovascular profiles of individuals following plant-based diet. Methods: The study population comprised 199 individuals (136 women, 63 men; mean age 33.9 ± 8.9 years) including vegans (VG; n = 50), vegetarians (VN; n = 101) and omnivores (OV; n = 48). In this analysis the following procedures were assessed: a questionnaire interview, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, and a blood sample collection. Dietary patterns were evaluated using the Food Frequency Questionnaire and a 24-h dietary recall. Results: Vegans exhibited the lowest protein intake relative to the other groups (p < 0.05) and a significantly higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and lower intake of cholesterol compared to VN and OV (p < 0.05). Vegans had significantly lower levels of serum cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, fasting glucose and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (p < 0.05). No cases of overweight or obesity were observed among VN and VG participants. No instances of impaired fasting glucose or elevated blood pressure were noted among vegans. Hypercholesterolemia was identified in 56.2% of OV, 26.7% in VN and 16.0% in VG (p < 0.05), elevated blood pressure was recorded in one vegetarian and in 6.2% of OV participants. Conclusions: Our research indicates that plant-based diets are associated with a better cardiovascular profile compared to traditional diets. Moreover, suboptimal intake of essential nutrients, underscores the need for more effective public health interventions and improved nutrition education regardless of dietary patterns.

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that dietary factors may affect cardiometabolic health, but the associations between the quality of plant-based diets and chronic-low grade inflammation have been insufficiently explored. The aim of this study was to examine the association between dietary indices and inflammatory markers in the studied cohort of vegans and vegetarians living in urban Poland. Methods: The study population comprised 198 individuals (mean age 33.6 yrs) including vegans (VG; n = 50), vegetarians (VN; n = 101) and omnivores (OV; n = 47). The following methods were used in this analysis: a questionnaire interview, anthropometric measurements and blood sample collection. Dietary patterns were evaluated using the Food Frequency Questionnaire and overall plant-based diet index (PDI) and healthful plant-based index (hPDI) were used to define adherence to plant-based dietary patterns. Results: Vegans had substantially lower hsCRP concentration and lymphocyte counts than VN and OV (p < 0.05). IL-6 concentrations, as well as total WBC, neutrophils, and lymphocytes counts, were significantly higher in OV compared to the other groups. In the overall study population, higher intake of plant-based foods was associated with lower mean levels of hsCRP, IL-6, glucose, lipids, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and total WBC counts (p < 0.05). Among vegetarians, higher consumption of healthful plant-based foods was associated with lower levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and selected inflammatory biomarkers. Conclusions: Our research indicates that the quality of plant-based diets is a critical determinant of cardiometabolic and inflammatory health. Importantly, eliminating animal products alone does not guarantee health benefits; rather, the composition and quality of plant-based foods are key.