Plant-based protein diets help women to age better

WOMEN who get more of their protein from plant-based foods instead of meat tend to be healthier as they age, scientists have found.

Middle-aged women are almost 50 per cent more likely to be healthier as they get older if they eat plenty of beans, nuts and other animal-free forms of protein, according to researchers at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

They observed notably fewer cases of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and cognitive and mental health decline in those who ate the most fruits, vegetables, bread, legumes, and pasta.

Women who ate greater amounts of animal protein, however, were more likely to have some form of chronic disease, according to the findings.

“Consuming protein in midlife was linked to promoting good health in older adulthood,” said Andres Ardisson Korat, a study leader at the university’s

Jean Mayer USDA human nutrition research centre on ageing.

“Getting the majority of your protein from plant sources at midlife, plus a small amount of animal protein, seems to be conducive to good health and good survival to older ages.

“Those who consumed greater amounts of animal protein tended to have more chronic disease and didn’t manage to obtain the improved physical function that we normally associate with eating protein,” he said.

Researchers suggest their findings support the recommendation that women eat most of their protein in the form of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, although they should also consume some fish and animal protein for their iron and vitamin B12 content.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, also suggest that dairy protein alone, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, was not significantly associated with better health status in older adulthood.