Specifically, in this 30-year diet cohort, participants who consumed the highest ratio of plant proteins had a 19 and 27% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, respectively. According to the researchers, the results suggest that a 1:2 ratio of plant protein to animal protein is effective in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Although current global dietary guidelines recommend this higher intake of plant protein, the ideal ratio is not specified. This is the first analysis to examine this ratio and its impact on health, particularly heart health.
The study analyzes 30 years of data on diet, lifestyle and heart health from 203,000 participants, men and women, in the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study. Participants reported their food intake every 4 years, which made it possible to evaluate their total protein intake, animal and plant proteins, in grams per day. During follow-up, 16,118 cases of cardiovascular diseases were identified. After taking into account medical history and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, the analysis finds that:
- on average, participants (here Americans) follow a 1:3 ratio of plant and animal proteins;
- higher consumption of plant and animal proteins was associated with an overall lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease;
- Compared to participants with the lowest ratio of plant protein to animal protein (~1:4.2), participants who consumed the most plant protein (~1:1.3) had a reduced risk of 19 and 27%. respectively, cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease;
- these risk reductions are even greater among participants who eat more protein overall;
- Participants who consumed the most protein (21% of their energy intake) and adhered to a higher ratio of plant protein to animal protein benefited from a 28% and 36% reduction in cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease vs. those who consume the least amount of protein (16% of energy intake);
- no significant association was found between protein ratio and stroke risk;
- cardiovascular disease risk reduction begins to plateau around a 1:2 ratio, but coronary heart disease risk continues to decrease at higher ratios of plant vs. animal protein;
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these risk reductions appear linked to the replacement of red and processed meats with plant proteins;
- a higher overall intake of proteins – animal and plant proteins combined – still remains beneficial to heart health;
- a ratio greater than 1:2 is more effective in preventing cardiovascular disease;
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To theoretically eliminate the risk, a ratio of 1:1.3 or more should come from plants.
Lead author Andrea Glenn, a Harvard Chan School researcher and professor of nutrition at New York University, recalls that these replacements have already been shown to improve cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood lipids and blood pressure, and reduce inflammatory biomarkers.
This is partly because plant proteins come with high amounts of fiber, antioxidant vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
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