The heart is one of the vital organs that play an essential role in circulating blood throughout the body to distribute the oxygen and nutrients needed. Therefore, maintaining their health can help you reduce the risk of various health problems related to the heart. To date, heart-related diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. In Indonesia alone, cases of heart disease continue to increase every year. At least 2.7 million Indonesians are known to have a history of this disease.

Various ways can be done to keep your heart healthy, such as living a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking. In addition, diet also plays a vital role in maintaining the health of your heart. Eating a healthy diet has been shown to lower your risk of heart-related diseases. Strengthened by the results of a recent review published in the BMJ, a nutritious diet, especially a high-protein diet, is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and death from any cause.

In their study, researchers analysed 32 previous studies that provided information on mortality from any cause, cardiovascular, and cancer in adults aged 19 years and over. During 32 years of follow-up, it was found that there were 113,039 deaths out of a total of more than 700,000 participants. From their diet, high total protein intake was associated with a lower risk of death from any cause.

Not only that but a high-protein diet has also been shown to maintain heart health. A high intake of protein, especially those from plants, is known to help reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, this diet can also reduce the risk of heart-related death by up to 12%. Researchers explain that plant protein intake can positively impact blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, which helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from: Getty Images

Source(s):

• Naghshi, S., Sadeghi, O., Willett, W.C., et al. (2020). Dietary intake of total, animal and plant proteins and risk of all causes, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. BMJ, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m2412.
• Science Daily – Diets high in protein, particularly plant protein, linked to lower risk of death (2020). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200722192150.htm, July 29, 2020.