Meat Protein Linked to 61% Higher Risk of Dying From Heart Disease, Nuts and Seeds to 40% Lower

People who got the most protein from meat had a 61% higher risk of dying from heart disease, while those who got the most protein from nuts and seeds had a 40% lower risk, a major new study has found.

Researchers from Loma Linda University in California and AgroParisTech and INRA in Paris analyzed the diets of 81,337 men and women in the Adventist Health Study-2, who were followed for an average of 9.4 years. There were 2,276 cardiovascular deaths. The study, published online today in the International Journal of Epidemiology, grouped people by where their protein came from rather than simply splitting it into animal and plant.

The links held after adjusting for fats and other nutrients known to affect heart health, which suggests the protein sources themselves matter. Co-principal investigator Gary Fraser of Loma Linda University said in a press release:

While dietary fats are part of the story in affecting risk of cardiovascular disease, proteins may also have important and largely overlooked independent effects on risk.

A handful of walnuts, almonds or pumpkin seeds a day is an easy and tasty place to start.

Last year the American College of Cardiology said plant proteins are significantly more heart-healthy than animal proteins, and research also found plant protein was best for building muscle.

Plants for the heart, plants for the muscles. The evidence keeps stacking up!