Protein from meat is bad, but proteins from nuts and seeds are good for your heart says Adventist Health Study

Researchers in California and France have found that consuming high amounts of meat protein increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by as much as 60 percent, while a high intake of protein from nuts and seeds decreases the risk of CVD by 40 percent. The study, published online by the International Journal of Epidemiology, was conducted by researchers from Loma Linda University School of Public Health in California and the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in Paris.

The study included data from over 81,000 men and women whose dietary patterns were followed between 2002 and 2007 and analyzed to find associations between diet and health outcomes. The hazard ratio (HR) for cardiovascular mortality for the “meat” protein factor was 1.61 [98.75% CI, 1.12-2.32; p<0.001] and 0.60 [98.75% CI, 0.42-0.86; P<0.001] for “nuts and seeds”. No significant associations were found for the “grains”, “processed foods”, and “legumes, fruits & vegetables” protein factors.  These results suggest that a “healthy diet” can be prescribed based on protein source, with low amounts of protein from meat and higher intakes of plant protein from nuts and seeds.