A new study found that excessive meat consumption dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, while excessive protein from nuts and seeds dramatically decreases that risk.

The study, which included 81,000 participants, was a joint project between Loma Linda University School of Public Health in California and AgroParisTech and the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in Paris, France. It was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Researchers found that people who eat "large amounts" of "meat protein" experienced a 60 percent increase in cardiovascular disease. People who got "large amounts" of protein from plant-based sources saw a 40 percent decrease in cardiovascular disease.

What's ground-breaking about the study, according to researchers, is that while previous research has focused on the "bad fats" found in meats and "good fats" found in nuts and seeds, little attention has focused in previous research on "bad proteins" and "good proteins."

They also point out that much more study is needed, and that they still don't know whether particular sources for meat protein vary (which seems likely).

The Spartan Diet calls for very small amounts of meat primarily from wild-animal sources, including wild caught fish.

Get the newsletter