The western world tends to associate protein with animal sources: meat, poultry and seafood. In the eastern world, legumes have long been key sources of protein: soy, garbanzo, lentil, bean sprouts, pea sprouts, adzuki bean and so on. The largest study to ever look at the effects of different sources of protein has found that eating plenty of plant protein was associated with a lower risk of premature death.
Mingyang Song, MD, ScD, the study’s author, says, “Overall, our findings support the importance of the sources of dietary protein for long-term health outcomes.” A research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, she explains, “While previous studies have primarily focused on the overall amount of protein intake—which is important—from a broad dietary perspective, the particular foods that people consume to get protein are equally important. Our findings also have public health implications and can help refine current dietary recommendations about protein intake, in light of the fact that it is not only the amount of protein but the specific food source that is critical for long-term health.”
The study was published in August 2016 in JAMA Internal Medicine and analyzed comprehensive health data on more than 170,000 participants since the 1980s. Participants completed overall health questionnaires every two years and provided information on their dietary intake every four years. The researchers found that a high consumption of protein from animal sources combined with at least one factor associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, increased the risk of mortality. Unhealthy lifestyle factors included being obese or underweight, as well as behaviors such as heavy drinking, smoking, or not being physically active. In contrast, high consumption of protein from plant sources was associated with a lower mortality rate.
Kenzen Vital Balance® Meal Replacement Mix in Vanilla or Chocolate flavors is formulated with naturally-sourced protein from organic pea, organic rice and organic chlorella—no saturated fat and calories associated with animal protein. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or just health-conscious, KVB helps you put plant protein into your diet for health and Active Wellness.