![\"Paula](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/235420adc2e9a9460a07d842fa9cf6c06cfc9c48.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
April 22, 2026 \u2014 7:00pm<\/p>\n
Save<\/p>\n
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n
Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n While longevity supplements<\/a> can cost up to $150, over in your local supermarket, foods linked to longevity cost almost nothing \u2013 red lentils at $4 per kilo or black beans at less than $2 per can. The price tags may be tiny but the benefits of eating them \u2013 like helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and reducing diabetes risk \u2013 are huge.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s another reason why more plant proteins might boost our lifespan. These foods deliver a healthier mix of essential amino acids, the building blocks that make up protein in foods from both animals and plants.<\/p>\n \u201cNot all protein is the same and there\u2019s now evidence that deriving more of our protein from plants can promote better health by reducing levels of some essential amino acids in the diet,\u201d says Professor Luigi Fontana who heads the University of Sydney\u2019s Fontana Healthy Longevity Group.<\/p>\n \u201cFor instance, the intake of one amino acid called methionine is about 40 per cent lower in a healthy plant-based diet, and animal studies have found that restricting methionine helps protect against chronic disease and extends lifespan.\u201d<\/p>\n On the other hand, consuming high levels of methionine and branched-chain amino acids from animal foods can promote insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cancer and accelerated ageing, he adds.<\/p>\n So what is it about lower levels of these amino acids that might promote longevity?<\/p>\n \u201cOne explanation is that high levels of methionine and branched-chain amino acids activate biological pathways linked to cellular ageing,\u201d says Fontana. \u201cDiets that provide lower, yet still adequate, amounts appear to do the opposite, activating processes that help preserve cellular function and maintain metabolic health.\u201d<\/p>\n Plant proteins and longevity<\/p>\n This may explain why a US study following 50- to 65-year-olds over 18 years found that those eating the most protein had a 75 per cent higher mortality rate and were four times more likely to die of cancer, says Fontana, who authored The Path to Longevity.<\/p>\n \u201cThese risks were reduced or eliminated when the protein came from plants. A more recent study in 2020, looking at over 700,000 people found that higher plant protein intake was associated with lower mortality from all causes, and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Related Article Last year, University of Sydney research analysing data from 101 countries over a 60-year period found that countries consuming more plant-based proteins have longer adult lifespans.<\/p>\n Compared with many animal proteins, plant foods like legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds provide less methionine and lower levels of branched-chain amino acids, Fontana explains. \u201cBut their benefits go beyond protein quality alone. These foods also deliver fibre, polyphenols, potassium and unsaturated fats.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy contrast, diets high in animal products tend to provide not only more methionine and branched-chain amino acids, but also excess saturated fat, which raises cholesterol levels, and excess iron, which can promote oxidative stress and increase the risk of colon cancer. \u201d<\/p>\n Despite the many pros of eating more chickpeas, beans and lentils \u2013 including their affordability \u2013 Australia\u2019s legume intake is dismal.<\/p>\n \u201cABS data from 2023 shows a downward trend since 2011 in overall vegetable consumption, and this includes legumes, down from 4 grams daily to 3.7 grams,\u201d says Associate Professor Sara Grafenauer from the Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Innovation program at UNSW.<\/p>\n However, Grafenauer that there are some items people often forget belong in this food group, like peas, green beans and hummus.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cOur research points to people being unfamiliar with legumes, even with the word \u2018legumes\u2019 itself \u2013 we found people prefer \u2018peas and beans\u2019. I also think we plan meals around meat rather than plant foods, yet eating more legumes and less meat would be a massive cost-saver for families right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Simple options include adding more peas to our meals and combining chickpeas, lentils or beans with smaller amounts of meat in stews, curries and bolognese sauces, she says.<\/p>\n \u201cAdd red lentils to a curry and they completely disappear, creating a natural thickening, and adding more protein and fibre. Small, black French-style lentils, also called Puy lentils are good in a bolognese sauce,\u201d says Grafenauer.<\/p>\n Do we really need more protein?<\/p>\n With so many products labelled \u201chigh protein\u201d now available, you\u2019d think we were all protein-starved. But most of us already get enough, she says.<\/p>\n \u201dProtein is useful for weight management, controlling appetite and maintaining muscle, but legumes can help with this and more \u2013 besides providing protein, they help control blood glucose and cholesterol, and their fibre feeds the microbiome, keeping the bowel functioning optimally.\u201d <\/p>\n And let\u2019s not forget our heating planet, she adds.<\/p>\n \u201cMoving the proportion of protein we consume towards plant-based foods would be good for planetary health too.\u201d<\/p>\n Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox<\/a> every Monday.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Switching](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/d4e575aca15fa21b0426f371d082e92218992077.jpeg\")
Switching up the protein added to your favourite meals can have substantial health benefits.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Fibre,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/e76074c6d72090bb8673a47b5025308ac055ab50.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0e758dbe49d7bd33539bb36ec9680d98759ee3a4.jpeg\")
People often forget foods like hummus count as protein, say experts.Getty ImagesSo why don\u2019t we eat more beans and lentils?<\/p>\n![\"Cooking\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/3ded01e70e08842b27c822e287b1fe22172d9e47.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n