Switching to nuts is also associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes and all-cause mortality
In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMC Medicine, researchers summarized and evaluated the evidence for associations between replacing animal-based foods with plant-based foods and cardiometabolic health and all-cause mortality.
The study included 37 prospective cohort studies based on data from 24 cohorts in the United States, Europe and Asia. The results showed that replacing 50 grams/day of processed meat with 28-50 grams/day of nuts was associated with a 27% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease. Replacing 50 grams/day of red or processed meat with 10-28 grams/day of nuts was associated with an 8% and 22% lower risk, respectively, of type 2 diabetes incidence. Moreover, replacing 50 grams/day of red meat with 10-50 grams/day of nuts was associated with a 7% lower risk of all-cause mortality, while replacing 50 grams/day of processed meat with 28-50 grams/day of nuts reduced all-cause mortality by 21%.
These findings suggest that a shift in dietary habits away from animal-based foods —especially red and processed meat— and towards nuts would have an important impact on cardiometabolic health.
Neuenschwander, M., Stadelmaier, J., Eble, J., Grummich, K., Szczerba, E., Kiesswetter, E., Schlesinger, S., & Schwingshackl, L. (2023). Substitution of animal-based with plant-based foods on cardiometabolic health and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMC Medicine, 21(1), 404.