A large observational study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that increasing the proportion of plant-based protein in the diet may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers analyzed dietary, lifestyle, and health data from nearly 203,000 adults collected over a 30-year period. They compared participants' intake of plant and animal protein and found that those with the highest proportion of plant protein had a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 27% lower risk of coronary artery disease than those with the lowest proportion.
The study also estimated that the average American consumes plant and animal protein at a ratio of 1:3. The findings suggest that increasing this ratio to 1:2 may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, while a ratio closer to 1:1 may provide greater protection against coronary artery disease.