Vegan Diets Enhance Diet Quality and Help You Lose Weight



Researchers have discovered that a vegan diet rich in beans promotes weight loss.

The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recently released a study from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine that found that a vegan diet improves diet quality, which reduces weight and improves insulin sensitivity. The two elements most strongly associated with weight loss were increased diet of legumes and decreased consumption of meat, fish, and poultry.

Hana Kahleova, MD, Ph.D., director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee and a study co-author, asserts that "our research reveals that the best strategy to improve the quality of your health is to improve the foods you eat." That entails abstaining from using animal products and adopting a vegan diet high in beans, grains, and vegetables.

In the 16-week trial, 244 overweight individuals were randomly assigned to one of two groups: those who made no dietary changes, and those who consumed a low-fat vegan diet without calorie restrictions, consisting of vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits. Researchers kept track of participants' weight, body fat mass, insulin sensitivity, and food quality. The final data analysis included 219 participants who completed the entire research and submitted in their final diet records.

On average, vegan diet participants dropped 13 pounds overall and 9.1 pounds of fat mass. In the group that did not alter their diets, body weight and fat mass did not drop. Increases in the consumption of fruit, legumes, meat alternatives, and whole grains and decreases in the consumption of animal products, added oils, and animal fats were linked to weight loss in the vegan group:

Fruit: An increase in the consumption of whole fruit was linked to a drop in body weight.

Legumes and Meat Alternatives: Increased legume consumption was linked to lower levels of body weight, visceral adipose tissue, and fat mass. Increased use of animal substitutes including tofu, tempeh, and veggie burgers was linked to a reduction in body weight.

Grains: A higher intake of whole grains was linked to lower body mass and weight.

Eggs and dairy products: Lower egg consumption was associated with lower weight. Reduced consumption of high-fat dairy products was linked to lower body weight and fat mass.

Meat, Fish, and Poultry: Lower intakes of all three of these foods were linked to weight loss and a reduction in body fat mass.

Reduced Intake of Added Animal Fats: Reduced weight and fat mass were linked to reduced intake of added animal fats. Reductions in weight and fat mass were also associated with reduced intake of added oils.

According to the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI) score, the vegan group's diet quality also improved by an average of 6 points, whereas the non-vegan group's diet showed no discernible difference. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health created the AHEI to track dietary habits linked to a lower risk of chronic illness. The index includes items to eat more frequently, including fruits and vegetables, as well as foods to consume less frequently, like red and processed meat. The chance of developing a chronic illness decreases with increasing AHEI score.

A low-fat vegan diet is linked to changes in body weight, body composition, and insulin sensitivity in overweight adults, according to a study by Lelia Crosby, BA, RD, LD, Emilie Rembert, BS, Susan Levin, MS, RD, CSSD, Amber Green, BS, RD, LD, Zeeshan Ali, Ph.D., Meghan Jardine, MS, MBA, RDN, LD, CDE, and others. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 19 April 2022, Minh Nguyen, MS, RD, Patrick Elliott, BS, Daniel Goldstein, BA, Amber Freeman, Meka Bradshaw, Danielle N. Holtz, Richard Holubkov, Ph.D., Neal D. Barnard, MD, and Hana Kahleova, MD, Ph.D.

By PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE 


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