If you are trying to implement healthier eating habits, it can be difficult to figure out where to start. Perhaps one of your friends has been trying to get you to cut out the sugars you’ve added for years, while another swears that running out of gluten has changed your life. Fortunately, emerging research is here to make your choice easier.
A new study published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition compared two of the most popular diets today, the vegan diet and the Mediterranean diet, to see how they affected participants’ weight, as well as other risk factors for heart disease. The results? Following a low-fat vegan diet is better for your health than following the Mediterranean diet. (Related: The 7 healthiest foods to eat now).
“The evidence is clear that a plant-based diet is a great way to control weight and that all side effects are good – from improving heart health and improving cholesterol to reducing the risk of diabetes,” the corresponding author Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, MBA, Director of Clinical Research of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine said Eat this, not that! in an interview.
More specifically, the study found that the Vegan diet can reduce “bad” cholesterol levels known as LDL, improve insulin sensitivity and lead to more weight loss. The only victory of the Mediterranean diet was to lead to an even greater drop in blood pressure than the low-fat vegan diet, although both diets had positive effects. It is also important to note that the study did not require participants to count calories or monitor nutrients.
“We were not surprised to see that people saw improvements in the plant-based diet,” said Kahleova. “But since the Mediterranean diet is often praised for its weight loss, it was surprising to see that the participants experienced very little change – if any – in terms of weight.”
“We hope that this study will inspire people to see that a vegan diet can benefit them in many ways and that they decide to try it,” she adds.
Still not convinced? To learn more about ways in which cutting animal products can make you feel better, check out our top 28 health reasons for becoming vegan.