Review Shows Swapping Animal Products for Plant-Based Foods May Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes
The outdated notion of “go to work on an egg” should be replaced with the more modern recommendation to start your day with a handful of nuts if you want to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. According to a recent scientific review, replacing an egg with 25 to 28 grams of nuts can reduce the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease by 17 percent. This conclusion raises questions about the previously assumed negative effects of cholesterol in eggs on heart health. While experts are still debating the issue, nuts are widely known to lower cholesterol, making them a good alternative.
The review encompassed the broader context of switching animal-based foods, such as eggs and processed meat, for plant-based alternatives and its effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and early death. Replacing 50 grams of processed meat with the same amount of legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas, and beans, led to a 23 percent lower risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, another surprising result.
And while the benefits of nuts are underscored with further contrasts – a risk of type 2 diabetes that’s 27 percent lower if individuals replace 28 to 50 grams of processed meat with nuts and a 13 percent reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes when people switch 50 grams of poultry with 30 grams of whole grains – the study also highlights the modest benefits of swapping dairy with nuts and the significant need for alternative omega-3 and protein sources in the case of fish and seafood replacement.
With the nuanced and multifaceted conclusions of this wide-spectrum review, the traditional wisdom of a well-balanced diet consisting of all necessary nutrients remains unchanged. Each food item has its prescribed place and purpose in the complex tapestry of human nutrition, and the path to a healthy, nutrient-rich life is one of balance, variety, and moderation.
Ultimately, it’s all about more choices and thorough understanding, seeking and finding the combination of nutrients and foods that serve our bodies and minds best. And while avocado toast might indeed be a millennial trend, there’s a burgeoning body of evidence to suggest that trendy habits may not be empty of merit.
The results were published in the journal BMC Medicine, and the suggestion that merely one egg being replaced by 25 to 28 grams of nuts could produce such favorable impacts is a testament to the power of smaller, everyday changes. Taking this evidence into consideration, we can potentially shift towards a diet with lower risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and early death, ultimately improving quality of life.
