Meat diet ‘best for old bones’

PLANT-BASED proteins will not boost muscle health as much as eating meat as we get older, a study suggests.

Researchers found that animal protein is more effective than plant protein in preventing muscles wasting away.

The UK has 600,000 vegans and many have joined the booming trend for health, animal welfare or environmental reasons.

But the study found that vegans would need to eat a lot more grains, pulses and beans if they want to get the same benefits that meat, dairy and eggs offer to ageing bodies.

The researchers from King’s College London suggest people should eat a balance of both animal and plant proteins.

The report said: ‘While we know plantbased diets are beneficial for the environment, we don’t know how healthy these diets are for keeping muscles strong. Transitioning from an animalbased protein diet to a plant-based diet is likely to be detrimental to muscle health during ageing.’