A landmark study has shown that replacing animal fats with those of plant origin in the diet could very significantly elongate the human lifespan. In a study conducted on over 400,000 adults for up to two and a half decades, results have shown that those people consuming more fat from plants had overall death risks significantly lower during the study.
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the top consumption level of those consuming plant fats showed a 9% reduced risk of death from all causes and 16% from heart disease, compared with participants who consumed the least. Conversely, those whose animal fat consumption was highest had a 16% increased risk of death from all causes and 14% from cardiovascular causes.
According to Maya Vadiveloo, PhD, RD, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island, it was the increased intake of plant-based fat that was associated with high consumption of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. This lines up with the recommendations of the American Heart Association, Vadiveloo says. “Plant-based fats are unsaturated,” Vadiveloo said. This type of fatty acid is associated with good lipid metabolism and better regulation of cholesterol.
It also nailed down specific plant-based fats that offer the most significant benefits. In particular, it has been found that grains and vegetable oils were very helpful. Participants who consumed the most fats from grains were 8 percent less likely to die from any cause and 14 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular causes. Aside from that, the highest consumption of fats came from vegetable oils and was associated with a reduced risk of 12% in all-cause mortality and 15% in cardiovascular death.
“It is how much animal fat, not how much plant-based fat, that kills us,” said J. David Spence, MD, professor emeritus of neurology and clinical pharmacology at Western University. Certain animal fats were more strongly associated with higher mortality, he noted: “In particular, saturated fats from dairy and eggs are closely linked to higher mortality.”.
These findings imply that indeed a modest dietary change may offer very remarkable health benefits. Only replacing 5 percent of energy intake from animal fats with plant fats could reduce overall mortality by 4-24 percent and cardiovascular mortality by 5-30 percent.
Vadiveloo advises people intending to make this dietary switch to include more whole plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and healthy plant oils; and when choosing animal-based foods, ones that are lean and minimally processed. Eggs should be consumed in moderation.
It tells a person that the life-prolonging effect comes from plant-based fats. Being much more conscious of the food choices in one’s diet could significantly lower a person’s risks of dying too early, hence missing out on most diseases of modern civilization. Changing to plant-based fats is not just a fad; it is science supporting a long, healthy life.