This “Healthy” Diet May Actually Age You Faster, Says New Research

As many as 13 million Americans eat this way—and for good reasons. But anyone following this diet should be aware of a few things.

With the ever-rising costs of groceries and the stresses of everyday life, it can be a challenge to ensure we do right by our bodies. Still, we drag our feet to the gym and eat those veggies all in an effort to live a long, thriving life. But whether you’re a part-time partaker or one of the 4% of Americans who closely follow this diet usually viewed as healthy, you may want to rethink what you’re chowing down on.

BREAKING: Shed 42 lbs In 30 Days With This Simple Night-time Pill

The medical journal npj Aging published a study earlier this month that suggests a vegetarian diet may not be the healthiest choice for people over 70 years old—unless they’re keeping close tabs on their overall nutritional intake.

Researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, reviewed the diets of 2,888 older adults to see what effect their eating habits had on their overall health. Specifically, the research team wanted to see how the type of vegetarian diet—whether it be vegan, ovo-vegetarian (includes eggs), or pesco-vegetarian (includes fish and seafood)—impacted cognitive, physical, and mental health.

Using data provided by the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, the participants included in the research had an average age of about 72 years. With an average follow-up period of about six years for the participants, the study found that only 572 of the 2,888 participants involved “met the criteria for healthy aging” after six years, meaning they had no major chronic diseases (such as diabetes or high blood pressure) and no impairment to their physical or cognitive function.

Researchers determined that participants who followed vegetarian diets were not as likely to “achieve healthy aging” than those who ate meat (omnivores). In addition, participants who committed to a vegetarian diet since they were 60 years old were more at risk for major chronic diseases, as well as cognitive and physical function impairment.

However, the study notes that results were influenced by diet quality. Vegetarians with a higher diet quality, presumably meaning diets with few nutrient gaps, experienced healthy aging on par with the omnivores studied. “Research showed that nearly half of older adults failed to meet the recommended dietary allowance for protein,” according to the study.

From the study’s results, researchers concluded that an ideal diet for older adults is one that includes a balance of both plant- and animal-based foods. The team said they believe their research is the “first prospective cohort study to investigate the association between vegetarian diets and overall health status among healthy older adults.”

TRENDING: Eat This… Never Forget A Single Thing Again

If you follow a vegetarian diet, make sure you speak with your doctor about your eating habits to ensure you’re meeting your nutritional needs. As noted by the Cleveland Clinic, vegetarians are more at risk for vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc deficiencies, and they’ll need to ensure they consume enough protein. If left untreated, these deficiencies can result in conditions like anemia, osteoporosis, and, in severe cases, even blindness, according to a 2022 article published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene.

So, if you enjoy eating a plant-based diet, just be sure you’re receiving enough of the proper nutrients.