Eating steak or salmon every day could be as good for your heart as giving up smoking

Eating a small steak every day could be as good for you as stopping smoking, scientists say.

People who eat lots of protein-rich food were found to have lower blood pressure and more healthy arteries, significantly lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Scientists say the benefit is down to amino acids - the building blocks of proteins - which help strengthen the cells, tissues and muscles in our body.

People who ate high levels of certain amino acids saw benefits on similar scale to those expected for stopping smoking, reducing salt intake or increasing exercise.

The team, from the University of East Anglia, said that protein-rich foods including meat, fish, dairy produce, beans, lentils, broccoli and spinach all contain the beneficial compounds.

Eating a 75g portion of steak a day, a 100g fillet of salmon or a pint of skimmed milk would help ward of heart disease, they said.

Their study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, was based on health data from 2,000 British women.

The researchers investigated what foods the women ate, focusing on seven different amino acids.

Those who consumed the highest amounts of amino acids had lower measures of blood pressure and arterial stiffness - major causes of heart attacks and strokes.

Different food source had different benefits, they found.

Amino acids from vegetables and pulses - such as beans, lentils, broccoli and spinach - were associated with lower blood pressure.

Whereas amino acids from dairy, meat and fish were linked to lower levels of arterial stiffness.

Lead researcher Dr Amy Jennings, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: ‘This research shows a protective effect of several amino acids on cardiovascular health.

‘Increasing intake from protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, dairy produce, beans, lentils, broccoli and spinach could be an important and readily achievable way to reduce people’s risk of cardiovascular disease.

‘Results from previous studies have provided evidence that increased dietary protein may be associated with lower blood pressure.

‘We wanted to know whether protein from animal sources or plant-based sources was more beneficial – so we drilled down and looked at the different amino acids found in both meat and vegetables.’

The team studied seven amino acids: glutamic acid, leucine, and tyrosine, which are found in high levels in meat and dairy; and arginine, cysteine, glycine and histidine, which found in certain green vegetables and pulses.

Dr Jennings said: ‘The really surprising thing that we found is that amino acid intake has as much of an effect on blood pressure as established lifestyle risk factors such as salt intake, physical activity and alcohol consumption.

‘For arterial stiffness, the association was similar to the magnitude of change previously associated with not smoking.’

‘High blood pressure is one of the most potent risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease. 

'A reduction in blood pressure leads to a reduction in mortality caused by stroke or coronary heart disease.

'So changing your diet to include more meat, fish, dairy produce and pulses could help both prevent and treat the condition.

‘Beneficial daily amounts equate to a 75g portion of steak, a 100g salmon fillet or a 500ml glass of skimmed milk.’ 

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