Replacing dietary animal-source proteins with plant-source proteins changes dietary intake and status of vitamins and minerals in healthy adults: a 12-week randomized controlled trial

• Published in: European journal of nutrition 2022-04, Vol.61 (3), p.1391-1404
• Main Authors: Pellinen, Tiina, Päivärinta, Essi, Isotalo, Jarkko, Lehtovirta, Mikko, Itkonen, Suvi T., Korkalo, Liisa, Erkkola, Maijaliisa, Pajari, Anne-Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Clinical trials; Diet; Dietary intake; Eating; Female; Ferritin; Folic acid; Food plants; Food sources; Hemoglobin; Iodine; Iron; Male; Minerals; Nutrition; Nutritional Status; Original Contribution; Plant Proteins; Proteins; Transferrin; Vitamin A; Vitamin B; Vitamins
• ISSN: 1436-6207; 1436-6215
• DOI: 10.1007/s00394-021-02729-3

Purpose A shift towards more plant-based diets promotes both health and sustainability. However, controlled trials addressing the nutritional effects of replacing animal proteins with plant proteins are lacking. We examined the effects of partly replacing animal proteins with plant proteins on critical vitamin and mineral intake and statuses in healthy adults using a whole-diet approach. Methods Volunteers aged 20–69 years (107 female, 29 male) were randomly allocated into one of three 12-week intervention groups with different dietary protein compositions: ANIMAL: 70% animal-source protein/30% plant-source protein; 50/50: 50% animal/50% plant; PLANT: 30% animal/70% plant; all with designed protein intake of 17 E%. We analysed vitamin B-12, iodine, iron, folate, and zinc intakes from 4-day food records, haemoglobin, ferritin, transferrin receptor, folate, and holotranscobalamin II from fasting blood samples, and iodine from 24-h urine. Results At the end point, vitamin B-12 intake and status were lower in PLANT than in 50/50 or ANIMAL groups ( P  ≤ 0.007 for all). Vitamin B-12 intake was also lower in 50/50 than in ANIMAL ( P