Is Reducing Red Meat Safe for Bone Health and Protein Intake?
By UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI
As plant-based diets rise in popularity, ensuring proper intake of calcium and vitamin D remains vital. Leg4Life, a related project, focuses on promoting a sustainable and healthier food system using legumes.
New
research demonstrated that the partial substitution of red and processed meat
with pea- and fava bean–based food products ensured sufficient intake of amino acids in the diet and did not negatively affect
bone metabolism. The study was conducted at the University of Helsinki.
“Decreasing the consumption of red and processed meat in the diet to the upper limit of the Planetary Health Diet while increasing the consumption of legumes cultivated in Finland, such as peas and fava beans, is safe from the perspective of protein nutrition. Similarly, bone health is not compromised by such a dietary change either,” says Docent Suvi Itkonen from the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry.
BeanMan Study Overview
In
the BeanMan study, 102 Finnish men followed a study diet for six weeks.
One
group consumed 760 grams of red and processed meat per week, which accounted
for 25% of the total protein intake. The amount corresponds to the average
protein consumption of Finnish men.
The
other group consumed food products based on legumes, mainly peas and fava
beans, corresponding to 20% of the total protein intake. In addition, the
amount of red and processed meat consumed per week in this group amounted to
the upper limit of the Planetary Health Diet (200 g or 5% of the total protein
intake).
Otherwise,
the study subjects followed their habitual diet but were not allowed to eat
other red or processed meat or legumes than those provided by the study.
Study Results and Implications
The researchers did not find any differences between the dietary groups in markers of bone formation or resorption. Neither did the intake of calcium or vitamin D differ between the groups.
Calcium intake was in line with the current dietary
recommendations, and the intake of vitamin D was very close to the
recommendations. Mean essential amino acid and
protein intakes met the recommendations in both groups.
“Reducing
red meat consumption is extremely important in terms of environmental impact,”
Itkonen notes.
Increasingly
plant-based diets are becoming more and more popular, and the recently updated
Nordic Nutrition Recommendations also emphasize the restriction of meat
consumption and the moderation of dairy consumption.
“In
this study, the subjects consumed dairy products as in their habitual diets,
thus their calcium and vitamin D intakes were unchanged. However, in terms of
bone health, it is important to bear in mind that if one reduces the amount of
dairy in the diet, it is necessary to ensure the intake of calcium and vitamin
D from other sources. These sources can be plant-based beverages and
yogurt-like products fortified with those nutrients or, when necessary, dietary
supplements,” Itkonen points out.
Upcoming Publications and Related Projects
Additional
insights from the BeanMan study regarding lipid metabolism, gut health, and
nutrient intakes are slated for future publication.
Reference:
“Effects of partial replacement of red and processed meat with non-soya legumes
on bone and mineral metabolism and amino acid intakes in BeanMan randomised
clinical trial” by Suvi T. Itkonen, Piia Karhu, Tiina Pellinen, Mikko
Lehtovirta, Niina E. Kaartinen, Satu Männistö, Essi Päivärinta and Anne-Maria
Pajari, 10 July 2023, British Journal Of Nutrition.
DOI:
10.1017/S0007114523001514
Leg4Life
(Legumes for Sustainable Food System and Healthy Life – Palkokasveilla kohti
kestävää ruokajärjestelmää ja terveyttä) is a multidisciplinary project funded
by the Strategic Research Council of the Academy of Finland. Leg4Life aims
to achieve a comprehensive societal change towards a healthier food system and
climate neutral food production and consumption by increasing the use of
legumes. There are five extensive work packages in the project that cover the
whole food chain from field to dinner table, all researching legumes that
thrive in Finnish boreal conditions.