Research links plant protein, red meat consumption with women’s health

Eating more plant protein and less red meat may lower a woman’s risk of dying from dementia, heart disease and other causes

A study, published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found postmenopausal women who got more of their protein from plants such as tofu, nuts, beans and peas, were less likely to develop heart disease or die prematurely from any cause, compared to women who ate less of these foods. And more specifically, substituting nuts for red meat, eggs or dairy also helped them live longer.

Researchers analyzed the diets of more than 100,000 women from the national Women’s Health Initiative study who were aged 50 to 79. The women were followed for up to 25 years to see how what they ate affected their long-term health.

Compared to women who ate the least amount of plant protein, those who ate the most overall had a 21% lower risk of dying from dementia, a 12% lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 9% lower risk of death from all causes.

While eating more chicken compared to less lowered the risk of dying from dementia by 15%, those who ate the most processed red meat had a 20% higher risk of dying from dementia compared to those who ate the least. Eating unprocessed red meat and dairy also raised the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease: Those who ate the most meat were 12% more likely to die and those who ate the most dairy were 11% more likely.

Researchers noted that proteins are not eaten in isolation, so the findings should be taken into consideration with other factors, such as what other foods they are served with and how they are prepared.