There's a Surprising, Smelly Reason Why Eating Less Meat Is Linked to Healthy Aging RUI WANG, THE CONVERSATION 22 JANUARY 2021 High-protein diets are having a moment. In any grocery store you can now buy a protein bowl, pick up a protein box of eggs and nuts for lunch, or snack on a protein bar. But there's evidence that restricting which proteins you eat - particularly cutting back on meat - could be important for healthy aging. The surprising reason: it forces the tissues to make hydrogen sulphide (H2S), a gas that's poisonous if inhaled and smells like rotten eggs, but promotes health inside the body.