Swapping 100 calories of meat for a veggie substitute per day almost HALVES risk of an early death

by


Swapping small amounts of meat for vegetarian substitutes can reduce the risk of an early death by up to half, a study has found.

Researchers analysed the diets of 37,000 American adults, finding protein for plant sources could help people live longer. 

Replacing five per cent of total meat calories per day, around 100 calories by dietary guidelines, was linked to almost a 50 per cent decreased risk of death. 

The team said protein sources that don’t come from animals, including nuts, beans and whole grains, contain nutrients and minerals which boost health.

Swapping small amounts of meat for plant protein can reduce the risk of an early death by up to half, a study has found. Researchers analysed the diets of 37,000 American adults

The study, led by Dr Zhilei Shan of Harvard School of Public Health, was presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention.

The team collected 24-hour food diaries from eight cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2014.

Death from all causes, heart disease, and cancer were identified through National Death Index until 2015. 

Looking at groups who are the same number of calories, the researchers were able compare protein sources in the diet to the risk of dying.

Preliminary findings show those who ate the most plant protein were 27 per cent less likely to die of any cause, compared to people who ate the least amount of plant protein. 

They were also 29 per cent less likely to die of coronary heart disease (CHD), a major cause of death worldwide.

Replacing five per cent of daily calories from total animal protein with the equivalent number of calories of plant protein was linked to a nearly 50 per cent decrease in the risk of dying of any cause, including CHD.

SHOULD YOU CUT BACK ON RED MEAT? WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS 

Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals in the diet.

The Department of Health advises that we eat no more than 70g (cooked weight) of red and processed meat a day, which is the average daily consumption in the UK.

This is mainly because there is a link between bowel cancer and red meat, such as beef and lamb, and processed meat, such as sausages and bacon. 

A 2011 report called Iron and Health from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) assessed evidence on the link between bowel cancer and iron – meat is the main source of iron.

SACN concluded that eating a lot of red and processed meat probably increases the risk of bowel cancer, and advised accordingly.

The American Institute for Cancer Research advises we consume no more than three portions of red meat a week and urges us to ‘avoid’ processed meats.

Processed meat often contains nitrogen-based preservatives that stop it going off while being transported or stored.

These preservatives have been linked to both bowel and stomach cancer.

When red meat is digested, the pigment haem gets broken down in our gut to form chemicals called N-nitroso compounds.

These compounds have been found to damage the DNA of cells that line our digestive tract, which could trigger cancer.

Our body may also react to this damage by making cells divide more rapidly to replace those that are lost.

This ‘extra’ cell division may increase the risk of cancer.

Cancer Research UK says three chemicals in meat are linked to bowel cancer because they damage cells in the gut. 

Red and processed meat has also been linked to type 2 diabetes.

This may be due to the preservatives used or the meats’ higher levels of saturated fat than chicken and fish.

However, researchers in Canada, Spain and Poland cast a shadow over eating advice adopted by health organisations around the world in November 2019.

In a landmark paper, the academics analysed past studies of how eating meat affected the health of more than four million people. 

The research, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, found no evidence that eating beef, pork and lamb could increase the rates of heart disease, cancer, stroke or type 2 diabetes – despite fears.

Even replacing two per cent of daily calories from processed meat protein with an equivalent number of calories from plant protein had a 32 per cent lower risk of death. 

Generally, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men, which would mean swapping as little as 100 calories of red meat.

Dr Shan said it’s no use simply cutting red meat from the diet. To reap the benefits of better health, it needs to be substituted with a healthy plant protein.

These include nuts, wholegrains and legumes such as beans and lentils.

‘It isn’t enough just to avoid red meat – it’s also about what you choose to eat in place of red meat,’ Dr Shan said.

‘Healthy plant proteins… include other beneficial nutrients such as healthy fats, antioxidant vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (compounds derived from plants), which have been associated with lower risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.’

Strengths of the study include its nationally representative sample and gathering of health data over an extended period of time. 

However, the dietary information was assessed only when participants started the study, so the findings did not account for diet changes people made later. 

In another study presented at the conference found very similar results.

Researchers at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, followed more than 43,200 men for up to 26 years.

Beginning in 1986, the men from Harvard’s Health Professionals Follow-up Study completed a questionnaire about their diet every four years through 2010. 

Findings suggest that replacing one serving per day of red or processed red meat with plant protein or dairy reduced the risk of CHD by 47 per cent. 

Swapping one daily serving of any type of red meat with an equivalent amount of nuts – without increasing the number of calories a person ate – was linked to a 17 per cent lower risk of dying of a heart attack. 

And, replacing one serving of red meat with whole grains resulted in a 48 per cent lower risk of dying of heart attack in men.

Lead study author Dr Laila Al-Shaar said: ‘On average, Americans eat approximately 3.5 servings of red meat each week, and about one-third have red meat daily. 

‘Our findings suggest that even partial replacement of red meat with healthy, plant-based sources of protein could substantially reduce rates of coronary heart disease in the United States.’ 

Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals in the diet, such as vitamin B12 and iron. But it is advised to control consumption for health reasons, such as links to cancer and heart disease.

The American Heart Association recommends dietary patterns that emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts – and limits processed red meat and sugary drinks. 

The NHS says if you currently eat more than 90g (cooked weight) of red and processed meat a day, you should consider cutting down to 70g, which is the average daily consumption in the UK.

The second study accounted for multiple medical and dietary risk factors and was more detailed on diet data.

The men were mostly white and health professionals, and so the findings may not apply to a diverse population.