If losing weight is one of your goals for 2021, you can consider a low-fat vegan diet. A new study published on February 5 by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that eating a low-fat vegan diet was actually most effective for weight loss than the Mediterranean diet, which is usually classified as the best diet for weight loss. You’re suprised?
The two diets were compared in a 36-week test. For 16 weeks, half of the participants were randomly assigned to a low-fat vegan diet, eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains and vegetables, while limiting vegetable fats such as oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and coconut. The other half followed the Mediterranean diet, which is also rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, but includes olive oil and a moderate amount of fish and chicken. None of the groups had caloric restrictions.
After 16 weeks, participants returned to their original diets for four weeks, then followed the opposite diet for another 16 weeks.
The study showed that eating a low-fat vegan diet had better results for weight loss, cholesterol levels and better body composition and insulin sensitivity. Participants who followed the Mediterranean diet did not lose weight, but those who followed a low-fat vegan diet lost an average of 13.2 pounds, including an average of 7.5 pounds of fat.
While many experts think of the Mediterranean diet as one of the best ways to lose weight, the study’s author, Neal Barnard, MD, chairman of the Physicians Committee, said that the inclusion of fatty fish, dairy products and oils in the diet appears to be the reason why which none of the participants lost weight on it.
I contacted nutritionist Susan Macfarlane, MScA, to get her opinion on this study and she explained to POPSUGAR: “In this study, weight loss can be attributed to a reduction in calories.” Participants who ate the low-fat vegan diet reported that they naturally ate 500 fewer calories, but that their calorie intake did not change during the Mediterranean diet.
Eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains and vegetables that are naturally lower in calories than foods that contain fat allowed participants to reduce their calorie intake without reducing the volume of food they were eating, said Macfarlane. These types of foods also have a high water and fiber content, which increases your satiety, she added, so you feel satisfied eating fewer calories. Eating a low-fat vegan diet means that you are also not eating high-calorie processed foods, said Macfarlane, which are easy to overeat, leading to weight gain.
Related:
I stopped eating oil for 6 weeks and my skin, energy and digestion improved
To add my personal opinion, I started following a low-fat, high-carbohydrate vegan diet in July 2020. I no longer ate meat or dairy, but I did eat eggs, oil, avocado, coconut and tons of seeds and nuts. and nut butters. Switching to a low-fat vegan diet offered me many benefits. While I was eating enough carbohydrates from starches, not consuming sugar or processed foods or flours, I had more energy for my workouts, lost weight, and once I got used to all the fibers I was eating from beans and starchless vegetables, my digestion improved significantly.
It is important to emphasize that this study is referring to a low-fat vegan diet, which means that your diet contains 10 to 15 percent fat – not zero fat. Nutritionist Whitney English Tabaie, MS, warned that consuming zero fats can backfire, as fats offer a feeling of satiety. She said in a previous interview, “Someone may end up eating too much later to make up for their low-fat meals,” which would lead to weight gain. Nutritionist Sarah Rueven, MS, Rooted Wellness CDN added that not eating enough fat can lead to nutritional deficiencies by not getting enough fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).
The end result is a more comprehensive, vegetable-based diet, which is a healthy way of eating, as it encourages people to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains rich in vitamins and fiber. But Tabaie said that “eating a balanced diet with moderate amounts of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates at each meal” is essential for optimal health. For a general macro analysis of meals, nutritionist Leslie Langevin, MS, author of The Anti-Inflammatory Kitchen Cookbook, recommends dividing your plate into half a plate of low-carb vegetables, a quarter of the protein plate and a quarter of the plate of carbohydrates plus fat.