Mice fed a diet low in protein and high in carbohydrates live longer than mice fed a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet.
Researchers fed almost 900 mice diets with 25 different proportions of protein, fat, and carbohydrate and measured the difference in their food intake, metabolic health and lifespan.
A high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet resulted in longer lifespan and better metabolic health, despite also increasing body fat. A high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet resulted in reduced body fat and food intake, but also a shorter lifespan and poor metabolic health. The low-protein, high-fat diet had the worst health outcomes and did not reduce the amount of food the mice ate.
The researchers predict that a diet with moderate amounts of high-quality protein (around 15 to 20% of total calorie intake), that is relatively low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates will yield the best metabolic health and the longest life for humans.
Read more at University of Sydney