Beans may be better than meat when it comes to maintaining strong bones, according to researchers at the University of California in San Francisco. They found that elderly women who consume more animal protein than vegetable protein usually experience more hip fractures and bone loss.
Researchers hypothesise that when the body digests animal protein it releases high levels of acid into the bloodstream. Normally the kidneys neutralise this acid, but as they weaken with age, the body takes acid-neutralising substances from the bones instead. Vegetable protein, on the other hand, produces less acidity and therefore may cause less depletion.
This does not mean you have to stop eating meat and dairy entirely – just that it may be wise to cut back and focus on getting more protein from vegetables, like chickpeas and lima beans.
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