A groundbreaking new study of 22 pairs of identical twins shows that it only takes eight weeks for a plant-based diet to improve cardiovascular health.
The study, conducted by Stanford University’s Department of Medicine, put one twin from each pair on a vegetarian diet for two months and the other on an omnivorous diet. At the beginning of the study, all participants were healthy and without cardiovascular disease.
After eight weeks, the researchers found that the participants on the vegetarian diets had significantly lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), insulin and body weight than the omnivorous participants. All three health outcomes are associated with improved cardiovascular health.
“Not only did this study provide an innovative way to prove that a vegetarian diet is healthier than a typical omnivore diet, but the twins were a riot,” said Christopher Gardner, a professor of medicine at Stanford and the author of the study. study, it said in a statement.
Studying identical twins means researchers can control for genetic differences and limit environmental factors that can make it harder to compare different diets. The twins had the same upbringing and reported having similar lifestyles.
Healthy diets
The diet of vegan and omnivorous participants was described as healthy. They contained plenty of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains and no refined sugars or starches. The omnivorous diet included animal foods including chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
A food service provided the twins’ meals for the first four weeks of the study. Participants prepared their own meals for the remaining four weeks with access to a nutritionist. They were interviewed about what they ate and kept a log of what they ate.
This diet was said to be healthier than the twins’ diet before the study.
After eight weeks, plant-based eaters had significantly lower levels of bad cholesterol (produced by foods high in saturated fat) than omnivores. Both omnivores and vegetarians lost weight, but the latter lost an average of 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) more than the omnivores.
Compared to omnivores, those on a plant-based diet had a 20% reduction in fasting insulin. Higher insulin levels mean a higher risk of diabetes.
A vegetarian diet can have additional benefits such as increased gut bacteria and reduced telomeres [sections of DNA at the ends of chromosomes] loss, which slows aging in the body, Gardner said.
Myths about vegan diets
Vegetarian participants had lower protein intake as a percentage of calories, which may be of concern to people who want to go vegan. But the idea that vegans can’t get enough protein is a myth. Eating a variety of plant-based protein sources, including nuts, beans, and whole grains, will cover all of your protein needs.
Iron is another nutrient that is sometimes thought to be deficient in a vegan diet. But the vegan participants in the study actually got more iron than the omnivores.
“Based on these results and thinking about longevity, most of us would benefit more from going to a plant-based diet,” Gardner said.
More like this:
#study #twins #shows #plantbased #diet #beneficial #heart #health
Image Source : plantbasednews.org