Next time you order a burger, consider this: The type ofprotein on your plate can affect your long-term heart health, sayresearchers at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn.They tracked 29,017 women, aged 55-69, for 15 years, and found thatthose who ate the most protein from vegetable sources in place ofeither carbohydrate or animal protein were 30 percent less likely todie from heart disease than those who ate the least. What's more, thosewho favored red meat and dairy products over carbohydrate foodsincreased their odds of dying from cardiovascular disease by a whopping40 percent.
Although researchers are not sure of the exact reason fortheir findings, they suspect that nutrients abundant in foods rich invegetable protein, such as vitamin E, magnesium, copper andantioxidants, may play a role. "All proteins aren't equal in theirhealth effects," says lead researcher Linda E. Kelemen, R.D., Sc.D.,assistant professor of epidemiology. "Substituting even one serving ofvegetable protein for an equal amount of calories from animal proteinor carbohydrates each day may help women reduce their risk of dyingfrom heart disease."
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