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# Plant protein seems healthier than animal protein
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/plant_protein_seems_healthier_than_animal_protein_0802160815/
- Published: 2016-08-02T21:14:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T14:39:43.000Z
- Description: Among 131,342 people in two U.S. cohorts, high animal protein intake was tied to 8 percent higher death risk only in those with a lifestyle risk factor such as smoking or obesity, while plant protein was tied to 10 percent lower risk. The study is observational and shows no cause.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Tuesday Aug 2, 2016 (foodconsumer.org) -- People who eat too much animal protein can increase risk of death from all causes, particularly from cardiovascular disease, by 8% if they also have at least one of lifestyle risk factors such as smoking tobacco, heavy alcohol drinking, overweight or obesity, and physical inactivity. 

In contrast, people who have the same risk factors can cut their risk of death by 10% if they eat plant protein. The associations of proteins with risk of death were not significant among people who live a healthy lifestyle.

Also, when 3% of energy of processed red meat was replaced with energy-equivalent plant protein, the risk of death was reduced by 34%. About 12% reduction in death risk was observed when the same amount of unprocessed red meat and or eggs was replaced with equivalent amounts of plant protein.

The study suggests that the protein sources can have a significant impact on human health.

The study was based on data from 131, 342 participants enrolled in two major U.S. studies, the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

It should be noted that the study is not a trial and it has not established a causal relation between intake of protein and risk of death, meaning that animal protein itself may not necessarily increase risk of death. (David Liu)*Mingyang Song, MD, ScD; Teresa T. Fung, ScD; Frank B. Hu, MD, PhD; Walter C. Willett, MD, DrPH; Valter D. Longo, PhD; Andrew T. Chan, MD, MPH1; Edward L. Giovannucci, MD, ScD, Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality, JAMA Intern Med. Published online August 01, 2016\. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.4182 Te*