Plant proteins safer than meat proteins for heart patients, finds study

A study finds that a plant protein-rich diet is a much safer option than a diet loaded with meat protein in terms of mortality risks.

It is well known that proteins are quite an essential part of our day to day diet and there are numerous ways it can be incorporated in our diet e.g plant protein and meat or animal protein. But do all protein sources provide the same health benefit is a burning concern in the scientific world?

A new study found that people who consume more animal protein particularly in the form of meat are at a higher mortality risk and are prone to adverse health issues like cardiovascular disease, high blood sugar, and cancer, in comparison to people who take plant-based protein. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Prior studies have already demonstrated conflicting results in terms of dietary protein intake and risk of disease and deaths.

In order to ascertain this association a team of researchers from the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, performed a prospective trial on a population

The trial recruited 2641 Finnish male volunteers, aged between 42-60 years and estimated protein intakes with 4-d dietary records at baseline and collected data on disease deaths from the National Causes of Death Register. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate HRs and 95% CIs.

In this study, they found that higher Higher ratio of animal to plant protein in the diet and higher meat intake were associated with increased mortality risk. They also observed that higher intake of total protein was associated with mortality risk in a population with a history of disease particularly cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer as compared to those without a disease history. However, no health found to be associated with the intake of eggs, dairy, or plant protein sources.

It is evident from prior studies that long-term consumption of increasing amounts of red meat and particularly of processed meat is associated with an increased risk of total mortality, cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes, in both men and women.

Furthermore, the World Health Organization has determined that processed meat is a major contributor to colorectal cancer, classifying it as “carcinogenic to humans.” Just one hot dog or a few strips of bacon consumed daily increases cancer risk by 18 %. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AIRC) have also found that “the evidence on processed meat and cancer is clear-cut.

The study provides useful information about how proteins should be consumed so that we get the maximum benefit out of it.