• Posted December 2, 2024

Switch From Animal to Plant Proteins Greatly Boosts Heart Health

Moving away from meat to plants as a main source of protein will do wonders for your heart, new research finds.

The 30-year study found that folks with the highest ratio of plant-based protein to animal-based protein cut their odds of developing cardiovascular disease by 19%. They also had a 27% lower risk for coronary heart disease.

“Most of us need to begin shifting our diets toward plant-based proteins,” said study senior author Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard University. “We can do so by cutting down on meat, especially red and processed meats, and eating more legumes and nuts. Such a dietary pattern is beneficial not just for human health but also the health of our planet.”

Is there a "sweet spot" for plant-versus-meat intake?

The authors believe that a move to a wholly plant-based diet might work best when it comes to reducing risks for coronary heart disease (CHD), but benefits for cardiovascular disease (CVD) plateau at about a 1:2 ratio of plant to animal protein.

“The average American eats a 1:3 plant to animal protein ratio," said lead author Andrea Glenn, who did the research as a visiting scientist at Harvard's department of nutrition. "Our findings suggest a ratio of at least 1:2 is much more effective in preventing CVD. For CHD prevention, a ratio of 1:1.3 or higher should come from plants." Glenn is now an assistant professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University.

The new findings were based on three decades of follow-up on 203,000 men and women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study. Participants were surveyed every four years about their diets, including protein.

Over the study period, more 16,100 CVD cases, including more than 10,000 CHD cases and more than 6,000 stroke cases, were documented.

The Harvard team confirmed that a move to plant sources of protein cut the odds for both forms of heart disease. Those with the highest amounts of plant-based protein in their diets had a 28% lower risk of CVD and a 36% lower risk of CHD, the researchers reported.

The findings were published Dec. 2 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

As the research team explained, when meat is replaced by nuts and beans as a prime source of protein, this appears to help lower blood fats, improve blood pressure and ease inflammation. Plant-based foods also tend to have high amounts of fiber, antioxidant vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, all of which help reduce risk factors for heart disease.

More information

Find out more about the value of a plant-based diet at the American Heart Association.

SOURCE: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, news release, Dec. 2, 2024