Study Pinpoints the Vegetarian Foods that Slashes Heart Attack Risk by a Quarter

Going vegetarian could slash the risk of an early grave.

Experts discovered people who committed to a diet packed with plant proteins, specifically nuts and legumes, such as beans and lentils, were more than a quarter less likely to suffer coronary heart disease (CHD).

CHD is where fatty substances start to build up in your arteries, interrupting the flow of blood to the organ, which can lead to a potentially fatal heart attack.

The study also found those who ate lots of plant proteins also cut their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general by almost a fifth.

US researchers, who tracked more than 200,000 adults over 30 years, claimed this was because the high amounts of fiber and antioxidants in plant-based proteins stopped arteries getting blocked.

Shunning red and processed meats could be 'much more effective in preventing cardiovascular disease', the scientists said.

Professor Frank Hu, an expert in nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard University and an author of the paper said: "Most of us need to begin shifting our diets toward plant-based proteins. We can do so by cutting down on meat, especially red and processed meats, and eating more legumes and nuts."

Andrea Glenn, an assistant professor in nutrition and food studies at New York University, and fellow author of the new study, added: "The average American eats a 1:3 plant-to-animal protein ratio. Our findings suggest a ratio of at least 1:2 is much more effective in preventing CVD. For CHD prevention, a ratio of 1:1.3 or higher should come from plants."

A 1:3 plant-to-animal protein ratio means the average person was eating three times as much meat as foods like nuts and legumes.

The researchers said for better heart health this should be reduced to only twice as much meat as plant proteins, or even more ideally a close to one-to-one ratio.

In the study, over 203,000 healthy adults were quizzed about their daily diet every four years. Researchers calculated each participant’s total protein intake, measured in grams per day, as well as their specific intakes of animal and plant proteins.

Over a follow-up of 30 years, they found 16,118 cardiovascular disease cases, including over 10,000 coronary heart disease cases and over 6,000 stroke cases, were documented.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the scientists said participants who consumed the highest levels of animal proteins — compared to the lowest — had a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

They were also 27% less likely to suffer coronary heart disease.

These risk reductions were even higher among participants who ate more protein overall.

Those who consumed the most protein — 21% of energy coming from protein — and adhered to a higher plant-to-animal protein ratio saw a 28 % lower risk of cardiovascular disease. For coronary heart disease, this was 36 % lower.

Replacing red and processed meat in the diet with several plant sources, such as nuts, also showed a lower risk of stroke, the researchers said. 

However, it was discovered that risk reduction for cardiovascular disease begins to plateau around a 1:2 ratio though benefits continued for coronary heart disease specifically. It comes as alarming data earlier this year revealed that premature deaths from cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, had hit their highest level in more than a decade.

Cases of heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes among the under-75s had tumbled since the 1960s thanks to plummeting smoking rates, advanced surgical techniques, and breakthroughs such as stents and statins.

But now, rising obesity rates, and its catalogue of associated health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes, are thought to be one of the major contributing factors.

Slow ambulance response times for category 2 calls in England — which includes suspected heart attacks and strokes — as well as long waits for tests and treatment have also been blamed for the rise, which is also being felt in younger adults. Despite claims from anti-vaxxers, cardiologists say fears that COVID-19 vaccines might have fuelled an increase in heart problems are way off the mark.