A new study, published online August 26, 2019, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that people who eat more plant protein tend to live longer. Researchers tracked the diets and health of nearly 71,000 Japanese men and women between 45 and 74 years old. They gave each participant a series of questions related to their health as well as the amount and what types of protein they ate. At the start of the study, in the mid-1990s, none of the participants had a history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or heart disease. More than 12,000 of the participants had died during the span of the study, which lasted an average of 18 years. People who ate the most plant protein had a 13 percent lower overall mortality rate than those who consumed the least. After adjusting for age, sex, smoking, fat intake, body mass index, and physical activity, researchers found that, compared with the 20 percent of the group who consumed the least amount of plant protein, the 20 percent who ate the most had a 28 percent lower rate of stroke and death from heart disease and were 27 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. While eating meat was not associated with overall mortality, Sawada Norie, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo who coauthored the study, says this could be attributed to the fact that people in Japan typically consume more fish than red meat. “Although there are several limitations to our study, such as the possibility that plant protein intake may represent healthier eating behaviors in general, our study showed that replacing red or processed meat with plant protein was associated with lower total, cancer-related, and cardiovascular death,” says Dr. Norie. Past studies have also indicated an urgency for people to reduce or eliminate red meat (which is any meat that comes from a mammal) in their diet, and the World Health Organization even classifies processed meat as carcinogenic because of its link to colorectal cancer. Proteins derived from plants also consume fewer resources than red meat, especially beef, and are typically lower in saturated fat. Still, not all plant protein is equal, and it’s important to know how to choose the right ones for a balanced diet.
Balancing a Plant-Based Diet
According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the average woman needs around 46 grams of protein per day, while men should eat around 56 grams. Although meat often packs in more protein per serving, most Americans eat twice the amount of protein they actually need. Meat-mimicking substitutes like Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger have gained traction in recent months, and multiple fast-food chains have created plant-based takes on bestselling menu items. While these options offer protein content that’s comparable to ground beef, they are processed foods and still contain saturated fat. “Processed usually means more sodium,” says Rachel Scherr, PhD, an assistant researcher and the director of the Center for Nutrition in Schools at the University of California in Davis. The Global Burden and Disease Study, published on May 11, 2019, in The Lancet, found that 22 percent of deaths worldwide can be attributed to a person’s diet. On average, people around the globe consume 86 percent more sodium than they should every day. Dr. Scherr recommends consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily and opting for complete plant proteins like tofu and tempeh over red meat. “There are other health benefits besides just the protein that we find in complete plant protein, such as fiber and polyunsaturated fats,” says Scherr. Polyunsaturated fats are the “good fats” found in nuts and avocados that can actually reduce your cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular disease. Complete plant proteins also provide amino acids that your body can’t produce on its own. People can get all the protein, vitamins, and minerals they need without eating meat; the key is knowing where each food falls short. “If you eat something that is not complete but complement it with something that is incomplete in a different way, you can still get all the nutrients you need,” says Scherr, who gave beans and rice as a classic example. Not sure where to start? Here are 10 of the best plant-based sources of protein to eat instead of meat.
