Being vegan for just 12 weeks could help you lose 16 pounds, study finds

If you want to lose a stone just in time for summer, go vegan.

Researchers found that overweight people who switched to a plant-based diet lost an average of 7.4 kg in the first three months.

They believe the secret is to not be able to eat fatty, high-calorie foods like cheese and red meat and limit their takeaway options.

The study analyzed the results of 11 scientific studies on vegan diets and weight loss involving nearly 800 adults who were overweight or had type 2 diabetes.

Some studies have compared vegan diets to typical Western diets, while others have compared them to other trendy diets, such as the Mediterranean diet.

Compared with those who did not change their diet and continued to eat meat and animal products, vegans lost 7.4 kg in 12 weeks.

Compared to other popular diets, vegans lost 4.1 kg.

However, a vegan diet did not significantly outperform these diets in terms of blood sugar or cholesterol levels, with only very minor improvements.

Lead author Anne-Ditte Termannsen, from University Hospital Copenhagen, said: “This rigorous review of the best available evidence to date shows with reasonable certainty that a vegan diet for at least 12 weeks can lead to weight loss and blood sugar. levels and therefore can be used in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

“Vegan diets are likely to result in weight loss because they are associated with lower calorie intake due to reduced fat and higher dietary fiber levels,” he said.

“However, more evidence is needed regarding other cardiometabolic outcomes.”

Experts in the UK cautioned to be cautious about the study, noting that the study was not peer-reviewed and that people should consider some of the negative health risks of a vegan diet.

These include important deficient nutrients found in animal products such as vitamin D or B12 and iodine.

Another is the amount of sugar in some vegan foods, which can be particularly risky for people trying to control their blood sugar, such as diabetics.

Another limitation of the study was that none of the studies recommended a specific control diet for participants who were not in the vegan arm of the study.

This means that accurately comparing the effects of vegan diets has its challenges.

Professor Gunter Kuhnle, a nutritionist at the University of Reading, said about the research that it does not prove that a particular vegan diet helps people lose weight.

“Vegan diets generally contain less fat and more fiber than other diets and are generally less energy-rich,” he said.

‘However, it is possible to achieve the same with just a non-plant-based diet.

“While this study provides very useful information for research, it does not suggest that a vegan diet will automatically lead to weight loss.”

Dr. Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston University, also warned people to switch to veganism without considering some of the potential negative health consequences.

“When it comes to a vegan diet that includes nutrients such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron and iodine, eliminating a number of foods without considering how the nutrients are changed can lead to worse health in the long run,” he said. †

“It’s also important to remember that not all vegan foods are healthy. After all, as sugar is vegan and more people opt for plant-based diets, there are more processed foods and products to meet this demand.

He urged people to talk to a healthcare professional before switching to a vegan diet, and especially a dietitian if they have a health condition such as type 2 diabetes.

Being overweight has been linked to numerous health problems, including musculoskeletal complications, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and at least 13 types of cancer.

The latest NHS data for England in 2019 showed that 64% of adults were overweight or obese. Treating obesity-related diseases costs the NHS around £6 billion a year.

And in the United States, an estimated 73.6 percent of adults are considered overweight or obese.

The analysis of vegan diets was presented at the European Obesity Congress in Maastricht, Netherlands.

HOW SHOULD A BALANCED NUTRITION BE?

According to the NHS, meals should be potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.

• Eat at least 5 servings of different fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably wholemeal

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole grain biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and a large baked potato in the crust

• Have some alternatives to milk or dairy products (such as soy drinks) and choose low-fat, low-sugar options

• Eat beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which is fat)

• Choose unsaturated fats and spreads and consume sparingly.

• Drink 6-8 glasses / glass of water a day

• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt per day and less than 20 g of saturated fat for women and less than 30 g for men.

Source: Eatwell NHS Guide