Harvard Study: More Plant Protein Linked to 19% Lower Heart Disease Risk

People who get more of their protein from plants have a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 27% lower risk of coronary artery disease, a 30-year Harvard study has found.

Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and New York University, led by Dr. Andrea Glenn, tracked nearly 203,000 women and men in the Nurses' Health Studies and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, with 16,118 cardiovascular cases. The results, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compare the highest plant-to-animal protein ratio with the lowest. People who combined a high plant ratio with plenty of total protein did even better, with 28% lower cardiovascular and 36% lower coronary risk. Swapping red and processed meat for plant proteins showed the biggest benefit. No link was seen for stroke.

Senior author Professor Frank Hu said in the Harvard press release:

Most of us need to begin shifting our diets toward plant-based proteins. We can do so by cutting down on meat, especially red and processed meats, and eating more legumes and nuts. Such a dietary pattern is beneficial not just for human health but also the health of our planet.

The average American eats one part plant protein to three parts animal, and the researchers suggest at least 1:2 for heart disease prevention. Vegans are already well past that.

Back in 2017 research found plant proteins are significantly more heart-healthy than animal proteins, and last year swapping meat for nuts, beans and whole grains was linked to up to 36% lower heart disease risk.

Hearts love beans!