INCREASE PLANT-BASED PROTEIN, LIVE LONGER
INCREASE PLANT-BASED PROTEIN, LIVE LONGER
Check out this article in Med Page Today about the additional longevity benefits that can arise from eating more plant-based protein, like tofu, lentils, quinoa, edamame, nuts, and seeds.
“Choice of dietary protein source matters for overall longevity, a population-based study in Japan suggested.
Whereas animal protein was not associated with increased risk of all-cause death among more than 70,000 people age 45-74 years, plant protein consumption above the bottom quintile, which served as the reference, was linked to less mortality over an average 18 years of follow-up.”
https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/81825
Significant reductions were found specifically in mortalities related to cardiovascular disease (CVD), Norie Sawada, MD, PhD, of Japan’s National Cancer Center in Tokyo, and colleagues found in a prospective cohort study reported in JAMA Internal Medicine.
“Our study suggests that encouraging diets with higher plant-based protein intake may contribute to long-term health and longevity,” they concluded.
“Furthermore, switching out 3% of daily calories from red meat to plant protein — approximately 260 g of a soy-based food for the average person eating 2,000 calories per day — was linked in statistical models (not through analysis of individuals who actually changed their diets) to reductions in mortality risk.”
“Collectively, these findings suggest that proteins from animal and plant sources may have differing effects on long-term health and that a preference for plant-based foods in obtaining the required protein may provide long-term health benefits,” the authors concluded.
And it’s not just about personal health: industrial meat production has been linked to environmental contamination, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
“It is clear that for both human health and the health of natural resources and the planet, a sustainable food system that shifts the global population toward more plant-based foods and less animal-based foods is needed,” said Frank Hu, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, in a JAMA opinion article.
If you or someone you know would like to get on the road to healthier eating and learn how powerful food as medicine can be, please contact us today. We have a fantastic team including a Registered Dietitian, Nurse Practitioner, and Behavioral Counselor here to help support the use of whole foods in your diet, investigate laboratory abnormalities, and help you develop lifelong habits for improving your health and well-being. We also have a comprehensive weight management program to try to fully optimize your nutrition and wellness. Call 224.407.4400 or visit compgihealth.com to learn more!