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Getting protein from plant sources like beans and nuts instead of animal protein like red meat and dairy is linked to fewer dementia and heart disease deaths, a new study finds.
The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), studied more than 100,000 postmenopausal women for nearly 20 years.
Women in the study who ate more plant-based protein had a lower associated risk of death from heart disease and dementia and a lower risk of all-cause mortality, or all-cause death, by compared to women who ate more. red meat, dairy products and eggs.
Why a plant-based diet might impact health factors such as dementia and heart disease is the subject of two working theories in the medical and nutritional scientific literature, according to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, chief medical correspondent. from ABC News and OB-GYN certified by the Board of Directors.
“One of them is inflammatory metabolites, so these are animal protein byproducts that can then affect the heart, brain and our blood vessels,” said Ashton, who also has a master’s degree in human nutrition. “Another [theory] has to do with the gut microbiome, these good bacteria, and obviously what we eat has to do with that. “
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Ashton said on “Good Morning America” Thursday that she has been on a plant-based diet for the past three weeks and has seen her bad cholesterol, or LDL, and body fat drop.
“My weight has stayed the same and I’ve lost a point of this dangerous internal visceral fat, so even someone who does it just one or two days a week could potentially have some health benefits,” he said. she declared. “My advice is to put your toe in the water.”
“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” she says. “You could start off with just a day of herbal meals, so maybe that will lead to two but, listen, if I can do it, anyone can do it.”
What is a herbal diet?
A plant-based diet is a way of eating that consists mostly or entirely of foods derived from plants, including vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits.
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Thomas Colin Campbell, a Cornell University biochemist, claims responsibility for giving his name to the plant-based way of eating. He said he coined the term in 1980 to “help present his diet research to skeptical colleagues at the National Institutes of Health,” according to the New York Times.
“I wanted to stress that my work and my ideas came totally from science and not from any kind of ethical or philosophical consideration,” he told the newspaper.
Is a plant-based diet different from a vegan diet?
Yes, a plant-based diet involves eating little or no food of animal origin, while a vegan diet eliminates all foods and products of animal origin – everything from meat and leather products to eggs and cheese, according to Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, an obesity drug. medical scientist at Harvard Medical School.
Plant-based diets are also different from vegetarian diets, which eliminate all meat, fish and poultry, according to Stanford.
While religious, cultural or ethical reasons often motivate veganism and vegetarianism, plant-based diets are often practiced for health and environmental reasons.
Plant-based diets often also emphasize whole foods.
“There is a way to be healthy in any of these,” Stanford told “GMA” last year. “What I tell my patients is to find the best solution for them because everyone’s body is different and everyone’s body reacts differently.
Why is there so much interest in plant-based diets?
Plant-based diets have been steadily growing in popularity for several years, often making it to the top of US News & World Report’s annual best diet rankings.
The 2011 documentary “Forks Over Knives” also brought plant-based diets into the mainstream. The documentary was directed by Brian Wendel, who attended a nutrition conference in 2001, started following a plant-based diet and then brought the idea to the masses with the documentary and a bestselling book.
“The information has been around for a long time, at least from a health perspective, and we just helped bring it to a wider audience,” Wendel told “GMA” last year. “I became convinced of the health argument in 2001 and did it overnight. Until then, I had been eating animal products every day.”
More recently, another documentary, “The Game Changers”, put plant-based diets in the spotlight. The 2019 documentary, produced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger, shows the journey of a former MMA fighter who gives up meat.
Celebrities like Kim Kardashian West have also made it public to adopt a plant-based diet, increasing interest in how to eat.
Another factor is the argument that plant-based eating is better for the environment, according to Deirdre K. Tobias, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
“We see how much land it takes to supply and grow a single burger, for example,” she said. “I think this realization has been really eye-opening for a lot of people who may have ignored dietary advice for health reasons.”
What are the good things to eat on a plant-based diet?
Wendel, of “Forks Over Knives,” emphasizes eating whole, minimally processed foods on a plant-based diet.
“For me the best guide is that the food still looks a bit like what it is when you take it out of the ground? When you cook a potato it still looks like a potato,” he says. . “The more a food is like this, the more you can rely on it in your diet and lifestyle, for health benefits.”
Of course, fresh vegetables and fruits are a big part of a plant-based diet, as are nuts, whole grains, and legumes. Seafood and meat products can also, on occasion, be part of a plant-based diet.
Wendel emphasizes eating more than just vegetables on a plant-based diet to ensure you are getting enough calories.
“Make starchy foods – beans, rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpeas – the center of the plate because it has the energy to support you,” he says. “And then surround it with vegetables.”
Plant-based diets reduce risk of heart disease and dementia, according to results of study originally published on goodmorningamerica.com
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