We obsess over giving up meat completely, but the science of longevity asks us for something much more pragmatic
The debate about whether we should consume more or less meat is often plagued by ideology, but when we stick strictly to science, the reality is that it is sensed that a reinforcement of vegetable protein It can give us a few more years of life. And it is not about completely eliminating foods of animal origin, but about doing nutritional mathematics to replace a small fraction of animal protein with vegetable protein. Great studies there is behind it to be able to reach this conclusion, one of the most compelling being the published in The BMJ in 2020which brought together 31 prospective studies and more than 715,000 participants. Here it was clearly seen that a increased intake of plant protein It was associated with lower mortality from all causes and, specifically, cardiovascular disease. Translated into percentages, every 3% increase in daily energy from plant protein was associated with a 5% lower risk of death from any cause. On the contrary, animal protein did not show a clear association (neither for nor against) with cardiovascular or cancer mortality at a global level. There is more. That same year, the magazine JAMA public data from the NIH-AARP prospective cohort, which followed more than 416,000 people. Their findings further refined the shot, as they pointed out that replacing only 3% of the energy of animal protein with plant protein was associated with 10% less total mortality. The protective effect was especially marked when this vegetable protein entered the diet to replace eggs and, above all, red meat. The only problem is that, although the claim has a solid scientific basis, the relationship has only been demonstrated through observational studies. That is, we are not facing unequivocal proof of causality. The reason Whether vegetable protein from soy or lentils extends life is something that is still quite debated. The most solid biological hypothesis does not defend that plant protein is a magical elixir, but rather that, by displacing animal sourcesseveral risk factors for stroke tend to decrease. This is what is known in nutrition as the “package” effect. By swapping a steak for a plate of legumes, not only are you changing the amino acids that are introduced into the body, but you are drastically reducing your intake of saturated fat, iron, sodium, and, if we’re talking about processed meat, pro-inflammatory compounds. In exchange, fiber, polyphenols and other bioactive compounds present in whole grains, seeds and legumes are introduced into the body and can reduce the overall carbiometabolic risk. The small print. One cannot generalize here, and these results do not suggest that all animal protein is a poison or that any plant product is automatically a ticket to immortality. The expected result depends largely on the specific food that we are substituting on our plate, since it does not have the same metabolic impact to replace a processed sausage as a natural yogurt, nor is it equally beneficial to change chicken for legumes than for an ultra-processed vegetable substitute full of refined flours. Age matters. The age It is a very relevant factor which science has shown through a study published in Nature that analyzed national protein supplies in 101 countries over 60 years. Here it has been seen that, although the greater availability of vegetable protein is associated with a longer life expectancy, in children under five years of age the relationship seems to be reversed, suggesting that animal protein may be essential for their development. Images | Anna Pelzer Eiliev Aceron In Xataka | Chinese researchers believe they have discovered a simple “trick” to lose weight: eat raw vegetables
