Plant- and Animal-Based Protein-Rich Foods and Cardiovascular Health

To summarize recent evidence from randomized controlled feeding trials (RCTs) on the effects of consuming plant- and animal-based protein-rich foods on cardiovascular health of adults.

Results from meta-analyses of RCTs exemplify the importance of considering relative effects of protein-rich foods, i.e., when intake of one food increases, intake of another food likely decreases. Results from short-term RCTs showed that overall diet quality is more influential for improving cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors than intake of a single protein-rich food, e.g., red meat. Yet, assessing long-term CVD risk associated with intake of a single protein-rich food as part of a dietary pattern is methodologically challenging. While accumulating evidence suggests gut microbiota as a potential mediator for such effects, current knowledge is preliminary and restricts causal or functional inferences. A variety of protein-rich foods, both plant- and animal-based, should be consumed as part of nutrient-dense dietary patterns to meet nutrient needs and improve cardiovascular health for adults.