“Current dietary guidelines mainly focus on the total amount of protein, and our findings show that there may be different health influences associated with different types of protein foods.”
A plant-based diet can reduce the risk of deaths arising from dementia and heart disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA).
The clinical trial studied over 100,000 post-menopausal women (ages 50 to 79), who participated in the National Women’s Health Initiative study between 1993 and 1998 for nearly 20 years.
Study findings
The researchers from the University of Iowa College of Public Health investigators found that women who ate the highest amount of plant-based protein had a 9% lower risk of death from all causes, a 12% lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases, and a 21% lower risk of death from dementia-related causes.
While participants who ate more processed red meat had a 20% higher risk of dying from dementia, higher consumption of unprocessed meat, eggs, and dairy was associated with a 12%, 24%, and 11% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular complications respectively.
The study also indicated that replacing total red meat, eggs, or dairy products with nuts lowered risk of death from all causes by 12% to 47 % depending on the type of protein replaced with nuts.
Supporting theories
Discussing the findings of the study, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent, and a board-certified OB-GYN said that two main working theories in medical and nutritional science literature could explain the benefits seen in this study.
“One of them has to do with inflammatory metabolites, so these are by-products of animal protein that can then affect the heart and the brain and our blood vessels,” Dr Ashton said in the interview.
“Another [theory] has to do with the gut microbiome, that good bacteria, and obviously what we eat is related to that.”
Dietary protein sources influence health parameters
“Our findings support the need to consider dietary protein sources in future dietary guidelines,” said lead study author and assistant professor of epidemiology, Wei Bao.
“Current dietary guidelines mainly focus on the total amount of protein, and our findings show that there may be different health influences associated with different types of protein foods,” Bao added.
Study limitations
Data collected at the beginning of the study was observational, which means it was based on self-reported data.
In addition, there was no data on how the proteins were cooked.
Also, all the study participants were postmenopausal women, and therefore it is unclear whether the findings apply to younger women or men.
Read: Eating vegan leads to weight loss, glowing skin, and increased libido, study says
Share this story: Study shows plant protein-based diets lower risk of premature death, heart disease, and dementia.
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Gordon Ramsay Ditches Vegan Hate and Backs Flora’s Plant-Based Butter in New ‘Skip the Cow’ Campaign
- Totally Vegan Buzz Team
- 28th January 2025
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, once infamous for his digs at vegans, has taken a sharp turn in the kitchen. Ramsay has teamed up with Flora, the famous UK-based spread brand, as its global ambassador, marking a bold new chapter in Flora’s “Skip the Cow” campaign. Flora, established in 1964, has long been a household name …
The Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Places in Latin America
- Totally Vegan Buzz Team
- 27th January 2025
Latin America is experiencing an extraordinary rise in plant-based dining options. A new study, spearheaded by Veganuary in partnership with the food discovery platform HappyCow, reveals that Latin America now boasts over 10,000 vegan, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly restaurants—an impressive 21.6% jump compared to last year. Brazil takes the crown as the number one country, with …
Continue reading “The Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Places in Latin America”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. [wpViralQuiz id=27203]
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. [wpViralQuiz id=33494]
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. [wpViralQuiz id=31281] Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God