It's no secret that cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of premature death all across the world. And while there are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to preventing the onset of cardiovascular diseases, opting for the right diet happens to be one of the best options. A new study has found that a diet rich in protein such as meats, dairy, nuts and soy are all great for a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
While amino acids are the building block of proteins, a subcategory, called sulfur amino acids, including methionine and cysteine have significant roles when it comes to metabolism and health.“For decades, it has been understood that diets restricting sulphur amino acids were beneficial for longevity in animals,” said John Richie, a professor. “This study provides the first epidemiologic evidence that excessive dietary intake of sulphur amino acids may be related to chronic disease outcomes in humans,” Richie said.
A study conducted research on more than 11,000 participants and examined their diets and blood biomarkers. They were able to find that participants who opted for a diet containing fewer sulphur amino acids also had a lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases. “These biomarkers are indicative of an individual’s risk for disease, just as high cholesterol levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” Richie said. “Many of these levels can be impacted by a person’s longer-term dietary habits leading up to the test,” he said.
Keeping certain factors in mind like age, sex, history of diabetes and hypertension, they found that participants who opted for higher sulphur amino acid intake also had a higher composite cardiometabolic risk score. “Meats and other high-protein foods are generally higher in sulphur amino acid content,” said Zhen Dong, lead author of the study.
“People who eat lots of plant-based products like fruits and vegetables will consume lower amounts of sulphur amino acids. These results support some of the beneficial health effects observed in those who eat vegan or other plant-based diets,” Dong said. "While the study only evaluated dietary intake and cardiometabolic disease risk factors at one point in time, the association between increased sulphur amino acid intake, and risk for cardiometabolic disease was strong", she said.
