clock: Inside the hottest plant-based food trends
In the long-standing debate over whether meat-free or meat-rich diets promote better health, new research highlights the benefits of meat-free diets.
Researchers at Stanford University tested the health of 22 pairs of adult identical twins, with one twin eating a vegan diet, meaning it didn't contain animal products, and the other twin being an omnivore, meaning they ate a diet that didn't contain animal products. We investigated what happens when you eat a meal rich in plants. 2 months.
The study was published in the journal Nov. 30. Journal JAMA Network Openspecifically looked at the twins' cardiovascular health, including cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, insulin levels, and weight.
Twin brothers who ate a vegan diet lost more weight, had lower LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, and lower insulin levels eight weeks after starting each diet, the study found.
“The results of this trial suggest that a healthy plant-based diet has significant cardiometabolic protective benefits compared to a healthy omnivorous diet,” the study authors wrote. writing.
The findings build on previous research that showed plant-based diets are better than non-plant-based diets when it comes to cardiovascular health.
A study published last year found that eating a plant-based diet can add years to your life. For that study, Norwegian researcher Researchers used computer models to compare typical Western diets high in animal protein, dairy products, and sugar to those high in fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains, and low in animal protein. We compared a more ideal plant-based diet.
Read more: Why a vegan influencer switched to animal products after 4 years
A computer model shows that if a 20-year-old were to go all-in on a plant-based diet, he or she could add 10 years to their lifespan. Research shows that if an 80-year-old starts eating a plant-based diet, their life expectancy could increase by three years. Published in PLOS Medicine in February 2022.
What made the Stanford study different, according to the study authors, was that it used twins with the same genetic makeup and contributing environmental factors.
“Identical twins have nearly identical DNA and have many common experiences (e.g., upbringing, geographic region in which they were raised, similar exposure to other variables, etc.) and therefore adopt different dietary patterns. “The differences in health outcomes observed after consuming a diet may be primarily due to the diet itself,'' the authors write.
A plant-based diet is a way of eating that uses mostly or entirely plant-based foods such as vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits.
Read more: Eating a more plant-based diet may add years to your life, study finds
A plant-based diet usually consists of eating little or no animal foods, and includes vegan diets that eliminate all animal foods and products, and vegetarian diets that eliminate all meat, fish, and poultry. It is different from
Plant-based diets often also emphasize whole foods.
Dr. Kanitra Sekaran is a resident in internal medicine and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
