Plant-based diet has yet another benefit

In 2023, only 4% of Americans said they were vegetarian. But fully 42% of adults say that they want to adopt a more plant-based diet — focusing on getting the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables (that’s five to seven) and reducing their dependency on meat by using fish like salmon for animal-sourced proteins.

That’s good news — everyone benefits from a plantbased diet’s ability to reduce chronic inflammation and the intake of saturated fat (if you avoid overprocessed, fatty and fried plant-based foods). And a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that looked at decades of data on over 48,000 women reveals another advantage. Women who get most of their protein through a plant-based diet increase their chances of aging healthfully — physically, cognitively and emotionally — by a whopping 46%.

What provides plant-based protein? One cup of cooked beans, lentils or peas delivers around 15 grams of protein. Three ounces of salmon contains 21 grams of protein; an ounce of nuts has 7 grams.

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, you can consume 100 grams (400 calories) of protein, according to the National Library of Medicine. But as you get older, you may need more to counter muscle loss and cognitive decline. According to a study in Aging Research Reviews, “a protein intake higher than the RDA is … associated with better physical performance and greater muscle strength in older adults.”

For more on plant-based protein power, check out Longevityplaybook.com and explore alternative protein sources at iherb.com’s “Should You Supplement with Protein? Here are 3 Key Benefits.”