With the popularity of diets like keto and paleo — which are largely based on the consumption of animal proteins — we can often forget about the humble plant protein.
Thankfully, a new study out of the United States has found that certain plant-based foods (including pasta, bread, legumes and nuts) are linked to a lower risk of dying, as reported by Men’s Health.
Researchers studied data from 416,104 men and women over a 16-year period and noted that roughly 15% of the participants’ daily energy came from protein sources with 40% of this derived from plants and 60% from animal proteins like meat and dairy.
The study, which was recently published in the Jama Internal Medicine journal, found that the consumption of plant proteins resulted in a lower mortality rate, especially when it came to cardiovascular disease.
The researchers found that swapping out eggs for a plant protein led to a 21% lower risk of death in women and 24% in men. When meat was taken out of the equation, this risk dropped again to 15% and 13% respectively.
While these findings are undoubtedly important, researchers also took into account the lifestyles of the participants, including whether they smoked, had diabetes, consumed fruit and used supplements, which could also affect the outcomes.
Ultimately, this research is a good reminder of how a balanced lifestyle and diet is the key to a healthy life.