is associated with a reduced risk of premature death, while on the contrary, the consumption of many proteins from animals (particularly from red meat, processed and not) is associated with an increased risk of death.
This year, according to a new american scientific research, the largest of its kind to date, which compared the effects of different dietary protein on health. Animal proteins from meat, eggs and dairy products is more aggravating for those who smoke, drink alcohol, lead a sedentary lifestyle or are overweight.
The researchers, led by an epidemiologist Μινγιάνγκ Sung of the Medical School of Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who made the relevant publication in the american medical journal “JAMA Internal Medicine, analyzed data for over 131.300 people (65% women) with a mean age of 49 years.
Analyzing the origin of the calories consumed for each of the participants, showed that, on average, 14% were of animal and 4% of vegetable origin.
The study found that every 10% increase in animal protein was associated with a 2% increase in the risk of premature death from any cause and, in particular, with an 8% increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes.
On the contrary, a corresponding 10% increase in the consumption of plant protein (from cereals, pulses, nuts, pasta, etc.) was associated with a 3% reduction in the risk of premature death from any cause and in particular with a reduction of 12% of the risk for cardiovascular death.
The increased mortality due to consumption of many animal proteins is more pronounced among those who are obese and drink a lot of alcohol. On the other hand, the benefit from the vegetable protein in the reduction of mortality is proportionally greater in those who smoke, drink alcohol, are overweight and do not exercise physically.
The replacement of 3% of calories from animal protein, with the corresponding calorie of vegetable protein significantly reduces the risk of death from any cause: by 34% if the replacement concerns proteins of processed red meat (both beef and pork), 12% from non-processed red meat and 19% protein from eggs.
“For the health in the long run, it is not just the total amount of protein that one consumes, but the origin depending on the food. People need to eat more plant-based than animal protein,” said the Song, and added that when one chooses sources of animal protein, you need to prefer fish and chicken.
What will happen if you eat less meat?
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