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Banishing almost all meat from your diet could be the key to living a long life.

Piling your plates high with fruit and vegetables rather than feasting on an array of meat helps lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, the Daily Mail reports.

That is the conclusion of a new study, which analysed the eating habits and lifestyles of more than 450,000 Europeans.

Those who ate a semi-vegetarian diet - where 70 per cent of their food came from plant sources - had a 20 per cent lower risk of succumbing to cardiovascular disease.

That is compared to those on a more carnivorous diet, where less than 45 per cent of their food was from plant sources.

Dr Camille Lassale, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, where the study was carried out, said: 'A pro-vegetarian diet doesn't make absolute recommendations about specific nutrients.

'It focuses on increasing the proportion of plant based foods relative to animal-based foods, which results in an improved nutritionally balance diet.'

Those taking part in the study were part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, which started in 1992.

Researchers included nearly half a million people from 10 different countries.

None of them were suffering any long-term diseases at the start of the study, and they were all aged between 35 and 70 years old.

Scientists followed their progress for 12 years, on average.

Information was collected on their height, weight, diet and self-reported food questionnaires, lifestyle and physical activity habits.

Any causes and dates of death were also noted. 

The team of researchers scored each person on the types of food they ate.

Points were given for eating food from seven food groups - vegetables, fruit, cereals, potatoes, nuts, and olive oil.

And points were subtracted for five animal food groups - meats, animal fats, eggs, fish, and other seafood or dairy products.

Based on their scores, the participants were then put into different categories, ranging from the least pro-vegetarian to the most.

Results were adjusted for the age of a person at the start of the study, gender, daily calories, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, education, and alcohol intake.

The scientists then examined the relationship between eating habits and death risks from heart disease and stroke.

Dr Lassale, added: 'Instead of drastic avoidance of animal-based foods, substituting some of the meat in your diet with plant-based sources may be a very simple, useful way to lower cardiovascular mortality.'

She said the findings were in line with the wealth of evidence on benefits of eating plant foods to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Doctors recommend following a heart-healthy diet, which could also be described as a 'pro-vegetarian' diet.

That is one high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, and nuts, low-fat dairy, beans, skinless poultry, and fish.

It encourages eating foods low in saturated and trans fats and sodium, and limiting added sugars and red meat.