Eating this can slash chances of cancer and heart disease for women: study

By Isobel Williams via SWNS

Consuming plant protein can help women slash their chances of developing cancer and heart disease in later life, a new study reveals.

Researchers found that women who consume higher amounts of plant-based protein were nearly 50 percent more likely to have a healthier old age.

They saw notably less heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and cognitive and mental health decline in women who consumed lots of plant-based protein.

Sources of this include a daily small serving of nuts, fruits, vegetables, bread, beans, legumes, and pasta.

Dr. Andres Ardisson Korat from Tufts University, Boston, said: “Consuming protein in midlife was linked to promoting good health in older adulthood.

“We also found that the source of protein matters. Getting the majority of your protein from plant sources at midlife, plus a small amount of animal protein seems to be conducive to good health and good survival to older ages.”

To get their results the team studied survey data from more than 48,000 women between 1984 and 2016.

When they began the study, they were between the ages of 38-59 and in good health.

The team then calculated their protein intake and used this to compare the diets of women who didn’t develop 11 chronic diseases or lose a lot of physical function or mental health, with the diets of those who did.

Results, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that women who ate more plant-based protein were 46 per cent more likely to be healthy into their later years.

Those who consumed more animal protein such as beef, chicken, milk, fish/seafood, and cheese, however, were six percent less likely to stay healthy as they aged.

Although consuming meat was modestly tied to fewer physical limitations in old age, plant-based protein had much stronger health benefits.

For heart disease in particular, higher plant protein consumption came with lower levels of LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity, while higher animal protein intake was tied to higher levels, along with increased insulin-like growth factor, which has been detected in multiple cancers.

The researchers acknowledge that plant-based protein may be more beneficial due to the dietary fiber, micronutrients, and beneficial compounds called polyphenols that are present in plants, rather than exclusively protein.

Dr. Ardisson Korat added: “Those who consumed greater amounts of animal protein tended to have more chronic disease and didn’t manage to obtain the improved physical function that we normally associate with eating protein.

“Dietary protein intake, especially plant protein, in midlife plays an important role in the promotion of healthy aging and in maintaining positive health status at older ages.”

The team notes that further research is required due to the lack of diversity in their dataset. However, the team's findings so far support the recommendation that women should eat most of their protein in the form of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Dr. Ardisson Korat concluded: “The data from the study tended to be very homogeneous in terms of demographic and socioeconomic composition, so it will be valuable to follow up with a study in cohorts that are more diverse. It’s a field that is still evolving.”