With a sea of conflicting information on the internet, it can be difficult to decide which diet is best for your health these days.
But researchers at Harvard University have ranked four leading diets according to how effective they are at reducing the risk of early death.
Now look the other way, vegans – a balanced diet is better for a long life than avoiding animal products altogether.
Researchers found that a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products was more effective at reducing a person’s risk of death than the vegan diet (file photo)
Adhering to the dietary standards set by the U.S. government is most effective, with the popular Mediterranean diet trailing just behind, each reducing mortality risk by about 20 percent.
Previous research has found that a plant-based diet is associated with some risks, such as hair loss and an increased risk of having a stroke.
The results are based on survey data from 75,000 women and 44,000 men followed for 36 years.
Each diet evaluated by researchers had a positive effect, as all reduced the risk of death by 14 to 20 percent.
Following United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines—and a revised version developed by Harvard—performed best, reducing risk by 19 and 20 percent, respectively.
The second best was a Mediterranean diet, which reduced the risk by 13 percent.
Eating a vegan diet can be good for health — but falls short when compared to diets that include a healthy mix of meat and dairy, reducing mortality risk by just 14 percent
‘[These dietary standards] are designed to provide science-based nutritional advice that promotes good health and reduces serious chronic disease,” said Dr. Frank Hu, corresponding author of the study and nutritionist at Harvard.
“Therefore, it is important to study the connections between them [these] recommended dietary habits and long-term health outcomes, particularly mortality.’
The US government developed the Healthy Eating Index as the nation’s official nutritional standard.
The diet established by the USDA generates a score from zero to 100 based on how many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and seafood a person eats for every 1,000 calories they eat.
Eating 0.8 cups of fruit — including juices and fruit products, 0.4 cups (c) whole fruits, 1.1 cents of vegetables, and 0.2 cents of vegetables and beans for every 1,000 calories consumed — would give someone a perfect score on these bring in categories.
The USDA also recommends 1.5 ounces (ounces) of whole grains, 1.3 c dairy, 2.5 ounces of protein, and 0.8 ounces of protein to achieve a perfect 100 score.
The Mediterranean diet can help solve fertility problems by improving sperm quality
With its focus on fruits, vegetables, and beans, the Mediterranean diet has long been touted for its multiple health benefits.
Now research shows it can help overcome infertility, making it an easy strategy for couples trying to conceive.
The Mediterranean diet may improve fertility, assisted reproductive technology success and sperm quality in men, according to a review by Australian researchers.
Diet — which also protects against inflammatory diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes — is thought to boost fertility by reducing inflammation.
The study, by scientists from Monash University, the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of South Australia, reviewed research on how diet can affect conception.
dr University of South Australia’s Evangeline Mantzioris said previous research had shown that inflammation can affect sperm quality, the menstrual cycle and implantation.
Following the official 2015 guidelines, Harvard developed an alternative index that focuses more on total servings consumed per day.
The Alternative Healthy Eating Index calls for five daily servings of vegetables, four servings of fruit, five to six whole grains, at least one serving of protein from nuts or tofu, and fish regularly.
This diet can be rated on a scale from zero to 110.
Mediterranean diets, which swap chicken and beef for fish while ditching processed foods, sugary drinks and other unhealthy treats in favor of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, have become very popular in recent years.
It has been heralded for warding off heart disease and dementia among its followers. Harvard developed an index to rate how well eaters were sticking to the diet and rated eaters on a scale of zero to 100.
Finally, Harvard researchers developed a score to measure how well a person adhered to a typical plant-based diet — commonly known as a vegan diet.
Vegans often eat more fruits and vegetables than others, swapping fish and other meats for beans and nuts as their primary protein source.
In the study, published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers collected survey data from 75,000 women and 44,000 men over 36 years.
As part of two major survey projects, the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, participants completed questionnaires about their health every two years.
Part of these check-ins included questions about how often a person ate any of the 130 different foods.
They would also report any illness diagnosis received between periods. Deaths in the study population were also tracked.
Using the data on eating habits, the researchers developed a nutritional score for each participant.
Taking into account external factors such as family history, smoking and alcohol consumption, they then determined the risk of all-cause mortality a person experiences each year based on their diet.
They found that participants who scored the highest on the Alternative Healthy Eating Index — Harvard’s reshuffled version of the USDA standards — reduced their risk of all-cause mortality by 20 percent compared to the average person.
The USDA’s Healthy Eating Index was second best, reducing risk by 19 percent. Followers of the Mediterranean diet reduced their mortality risk by 18 percent.
“Diet remains a cornerstone for maintaining optimal health,” the researchers write in the study.
“According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, unhealthy diet is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.”
“In this cohort study, greater adherence to various healthy eating habits was consistently associated with a lower risk of death.”
While plant-based diets still have benefits, a vegan diet isn’t as effective as a typical healthy diet that mixes meat and dairy.
Researchers found that a high score on a plant-based diet can reduce mortality risk by 14 percent.