Vegetarian diet 'key to long life': Study

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The Hindu

GO VEGAN: Customers picking greens. A study suggests that a vegetarian diet is the key to long life. File photo

 

 

 

 

A vegetarian diet could be the key to a long life, a new study said.

Reducing consumption of a specific protein found in fish, meat and

certain nuts could slow the ageing process and increase life

expectancy, according to the research.

 

British researchers carried out a series of experiments

on fruit flies and discovered that simply varying the mix of amino

acids in the diet affected lifespan.

 

The study further found that one particular amino acid,

methionine, made all the difference, The Telegraph reported. Methionine

is essential to the formation of all proteins. It is naturally abundant

in foods such as fish and meats as well as sesame seeds, Brazil nuts

and wheat germ.

 

 

Although flies and people are very different, the researchers believe the effects are likely to be conserved

throughout a wide range of different species including

humans. The team is of the opinion that by reducing foods that contain

the protein, people should live longer without the need to cut down on

meals.

 

The key to long life is reduction in specific protein and not the total

number of calories, the study said. Humans have around four times more

genes than the fruit fly, but both share many similar genes with basic

biological functions.

 

Therefore, even though the fruit fly does not on the

surface resemble humans, many findings about its basic biology can be

extrapolated to humans.

 

Dr Matthew Piper, from the Institute of Healthy Ageing

at University College London, said, “This work was done on flies but

similar results have been found in mice. If it turns it has the same

effect on humans, then the message is avoid high levels of methionine.”

 

“It's not as simple as saying 'eat less nuts' or 'eat

more nuts' to live longer - it's about getting the protein balance

right, a factor that might be particularly important for high protein

diets, such as the Atkins diet or body builders' protein supplements,”

Piper said.

 

Earlier studies have revealed that reducing calories by

as much as 30 per cent could reduce risks of developing heart disease

or cancer by half and increase lifetimes by nearly a third.

-- LET US NOT MAKE OUR STOMACH A GRAVEYARD. LET US NOT EAT FLESH. LET US BE VEGETARIANS AND STAY HEALTHY. Animals are to be loved, not eaten. Eating flesh is good neither for the mind nor for the intellect, not even for the body. It distorts the basic character of human. Think Soul is Soul and it came from the Supreme Soul...God Head Krishna

Chant:Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare