Higher Intake Of Animal Proteins Heightens Mortality Rate, Eating More Plant Protein Lowers The Risk Of Death

A study reveals that eating proteins from animal sources such as the processed and unprocessed red meats increase the risk of mortality rate. On the other hand, eating more plant proteins lowers the risk of death.

Protein is a significant component of each cell in the body. It could build and repair tissues and make enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals. It is also an important building block of skin, muscles, bones, cartilage and blood. The findings of the study were printed in the JAMA Internal Medicine on August 1, 2016. The study was led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, according to Science Daily.

Mingyang Song, MD,ScD, a research fellow in the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit (CTEU) and Division of Gastroenterology explained that their finding supports the significance of the sources of dietary protein for long-term health outcomes. He further explained that their findings also have public health implications and can help refine current dietary recommendations about protein intake. He added that it is not only the amount of protein but the specific food sources that are critical for long-term health.

Researchers examined the data from the Nurses' health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), which involved more than 170,000 participants since the 1980s. The participants provide information about their dietary intake. These include how often they consumed some portions of food sources during the preceding year---every four years. The team assessed more than 30 years of data for NHS participants and 26 years of data for HPFS participants. This totaled to over 3.5 million person-years. On these periods, there were over 36,000 deaths that were documented among the participants. These involve 13,000 from cancer, nearly 9,000 from cardiovascular and 14,000 from other causes.

Song said that when they looked deeper into the data, they discovered that---at similar levels of animal protein intake---those in the unhealthy lifestyle group ate more red meats, eggs and high-fat dairy. On the other hand, the healthy lifestyle group ate more fish and poultry. The suspect the various sources of animal protein between the two groups may add to the stronger results in the unhealthy lifestyle group.

The study indicates that people should consider consuming more plant proteins than animal proteins. On the other hand, if they choose animal proteins, the fish and the chicken are the better choices, according to Song. Nutrition Stripped stated that among the sources of the plant-based protein are the lentils, hemp seeds, chia seeds, quinoa, and spirulina. Other plant protein sources are nutritional yeasts, seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, nuts, beans and tofu.