According to a recent NPR article, going easy on meat and increasing your plant intake could contribute to overall longevity. A study published in the journal of Cell Metabolism recently found that a “low protein diet during middle age is useful for preventing cancer and overall mortality.” Interestingly, the same study found that after age 65, people actually benefit from a higher protein intake–due to a decrease in the production of growth hormones.
Processed meats, like bacon and salami have a higher negative impact on our overall health {red meats too}, and similar studies have found that swapping out those protein choices for beans and even chicken or fish can reduce risk of premature death by 14 percent {from a financial standpoint, swapping out meat a couple times of week with beans would totally help the grocery budget}.
The article did admit that singling out any one factor {like protein intake} in our diet and finding its exact effects on our overall health is difficult. Researchers have also not been able to agree on the appropriate amount of protein for good health. While scientists are sorting it all out, the article recommended moderation {duh}.
I don’t know that I buy into a one size fits all kind of diet. I think different people have different dietary needs; protein, fats, pastries, and carbohydrates affect us all differently. I don’t mean to go all granola on you, but I think we have to listen to our bodies and the way food makes us feel to know what the appropriate amounts of nutrients are for us individually. One thing is for sure, I think we could all benefit from eating more veggies {Mom, I guess you were right}.
What do you think, will you be swapping your protein choices out for more leafy greens?
~Mavis
Heather says
Personally, I do better if I eat enough meat protein. I’ve tried eating more beans than meat, but I also experience a great dive in energy. So I agree with you that you really have to listen to your body. Of course eating more veggies and fruit is very good for you! Love the kale!!
Allegra says
I absolutely agree with you – one size does not fit all; and the only way to find out what does fit you, without having to knit your own yogurt and macramé your armpit hair, is to be adventurous in trying new approaches out – and seeing what happens. In other words, be your own guinea pig….
Dale says
My Beautiful Girl (BG) and I have been on a not much red meat diet for the last two years and have been eating a lot of chicken and fish along with our vegetables. Overall we both feel better and it isn’t much to give up. There are so many good chicken recipes out there that I don’t miss the beef at all. Our favorite is basmatic chicken breast with sautéed mushrooms and green onions and plenty of garlic. Yum! We have the privilege of shopping at the commissary so we can pick up a package of 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts for about $6.00 and that makes 4 dinners for the 2 of us.
I just found your website recently and have started building raised beds in my garden. Your web-site has given me so many ideas and really helped with the design and spacing for the beds. My garden area is 60 x 60 and I’m putting in 10 4×16 beds along with a 2’ bed around the perimeter. I have 1 apple, 2 cherry trees and several blueberries on the southern half of the garden. This weekend I’ll be finishing off the beds and starting on the irrigation system. I still have to build a bed for strawberries. I have a couple of designs in mind so we’ll see how that goes. Thanks for all your great posts and ideas.
Noah says
My wife and I haven’t changed the amount of red meat we eat, but we have changed what type of red meat we eat. We use mostly venison harvested from deer that I hunt or bison. We are lucky that we have a few bison farms in our area in WI. From what we found out is that eating venison or bison is healthier in terms of drastically lower amounts of trans fats compared to beef. You are also eliminating the chance of eating something that has been injected with growth hormones. Bison (and obviously white tail deer) are native to North America so most diseases that affect bovines have no affect on bison due to the animals natural immunity.
Diana says
We eat a mostly vegetarian diet (the exceptions usually being social situations) and grow most of our food. There are so many other sources for protein than meat. I often enter our meal ingredients into a program to see the protein content and am usually surprised. Since we have started this journey we have tried so many types of foods that I had never heard of before. The food we buy in the grocery store is grown for shelf life and familiarity to the consumer, not flavor or nutrition. There are so many foods that taste so good just picked from the garden and eaten right away. We do something that has been fun for us to learn about new foods. Each month we pick a different country and research the food they eat. We may go to a local international market and buy unique food items we have never tried before. We often buy the seeds for the vegetables or fruits as a result. Then I plan a meal based around the new items and my husband finds music from the country to play during the dinner. This has really broadened our palate. I totally agree that there is not a one size fits all diet. Everyone needs to eat what makes them feel energized and vital.
Wynne says
My husband and I read The China Study over the summer and have been eating more vegan food. The book’s controversial, so the new report is encouraging. We feel pretty good eating this way. I try to give my child some eggs, meat, and dairy, though, because I’m not confident he consumes enough calcium and B vitamins. I’m not that careful a menu planner and he doesn’t eat everything I prepare. I appreciate your offering more vegetarian recipes here!
Stacey says
I stay away from deep-fried foods and try to incorporate as many veggies into our meals as possible. Sometimes, instead of a carbohydrate side, I make another vegetable. We eat a lot of beans, but usually add a little chicken, too. I don’t go much for eliminating whole food groups, and we still eat red meat sometimes, but you can’t go wrong eating more vegetables. It has worked out great for us. Between diet and exercise, my husband has lost 50 pounds and looks amazing, and I have lost 35 pounds. We are also hardly ever sick.
Lisa says
For over a year our entire family has not eaten pork, beef or chicken – basically vegetarian with the exception of fish/seafood. We feel much better and eat more veggie and fruit.
Leslie says
The two of us eat about a pound or so of meat per day, each, and eat vegetables in place of other side dishes. We try to limit the sweets, but chocolate is hard to resist 🙂