In just two months, twins fed an experimental vegan diet had lower insulin, lost weight, and lowered levels of a protein linked to heart disease. strokenew research shows.
The findings provide further evidence that a vegan diet is not only the best option for the environment, but can also be a great option for people.
“Based on these results, most of us would benefit from a more plant-based diet when it comes to longevity.” explain Christopher Gardner, a nutritionist at Stanford University.
For the study, researchers recruited 22 pairs of healthy identical twins and divided the twins into two groups to control for genetic, upbringing, and lifestyle differences.
Both groups were fed a healthy diet that included vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. The only difference was that one of each pair of twins also consumed what was considered a healthy amount of meat, while the other's diet was entirely plant-based.
“Not only did this study provide an innovative way to argue that a vegan diet is healthier than a traditional omnivore diet, but the presence of twins was a challenge to work with. ” To tell Gardner.
“They wore the same clothes, spoke the same way, and exchanged jokes that can only come from spending an inordinate amount of time together.”
During the first four weeks of the study, both groups received specially prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and were given strict instructions about what snacks they were allowed to eat. These include avoiding processed foods and maintaining a balanced variety of food groups.
In the second part of the experiment, participants had to follow a diet of shopping and cooking for themselves for an additional four weeks.
“While weight loss was not recommended, our dietary design did not include prescribed energy restriction and was not intended to be a weight loss study,” said Matthew Landry, a food scientist at Stanford University, and colleagues. ” he said. write in their paper.
“Participants were asked to eat until they were full throughout the study.”
Both groups improved their cardiovascular health, but the twins who ate a plant-based diet experienced the greatest improvements. Not only did they lower his fasting insulin levels by 20%, they also lowered his insulin levels. low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) too.
This protein transports fat molecules throughout the body, especially cholesterol, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Optimal levels of LDL-C are less than 100 mg/DL.
The mean level before the experiment was 118.5 mg/dL in omnivores, which decreased to 116.1. In the vegan group, it went from 110.7 mg/dL to 95.5 mg/dL.
The study also noted an expected drop in vitamin B12, but the researchers believe it was not significant yet because the period was so short.
Going strictly plant-based can be dangerous if done incorrectly, as it can be difficult to obtain. certain important nutrients B12 etc. People who become vegan are often encouraged to take supplements to counteract this effect.
Unfortunately we are experiencing a strong crisis push back The more you disagree with this dietary option, the more veganism It has become a dirty wordEven though most people agree with the principles behind it.
It is also very difficult to achieve for those of us with dietary problems.
But there's also no denying the growing body of evidence showing the clear health benefits of a plant-based diet. These include weight loss; lower blood pressurerisk reduction diabetic and heart problems different ethnic groups.
Increases in health markers were also seen in the control group, so simply shifting to more plant-based foods could clearly be beneficial.
Therefore, if we avoid the persistent and polarizing trap of black-and-white thinking and encourage each other to make healthier choices rather than demanding an absolute transition to veganism, we can more likely to change. Keeping changes.
Researchers also acknowledge this.
“A vegan diet may have additional benefits, such as increased gut bacteria and reduced telomere loss, which slows the aging of the body.” explain Gardner. However, “even more important than being strictly vegan is incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet.”
This study JAMA network open.
