Is a plant-based diet truly superior? A recent study clarifies

Which kind of eating plan—vegan or omnivorous—is superior? That was clarified by a recent study, which also suggested that emphasising more unprocessed foods may be even more crucial.

Published in November 2023 in the journal JAMA Network Open, the study comprised 22 sets of identical twins. One twin in each pair switched to a completely vegan diet, while the other continued to eat omnivorously.

The findings showed that, in comparison to twins on a meat-based diet, those on a healthy vegan diet showed significant changes in their insulin levels, weight loss, and LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.

Vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains free of processed carbs and added sugars were served on both meals. The omnivorous menu featured chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, and dairy items, while the vegan menu featured only plant-based cuisine devoid of any meat or animal products.

For eight weeks starting in March 2022, the participants in the experiment adhered to the dietary programmes that were provided to them.

Which is better, a vegan diet or eating mostly meat, fish, and dairy?

After four and eight weeks, all participants had blood tests and weight assessments to collect detailed data. Compared to omnivores, vegans had shed an average of 4.2 kg more by the end of the trial. It is crucial to remember, though, that success with a diet is not necessarily determined only by weight loss.

Even with the study’s shortcomings—like its brief duration—the researchers advise increasing daily intake of whole grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, and seeds as well as vegetables. Everyone agrees that eating less processed food, eating more fruits and vegetables, and consuming less sugar and refined carbs all significantly improve general health.

As a result, it’s important to put less emphasis on labels like “vegan” or whatever and more emphasis on including whole foods in our daily meal planning. Increasing our intake of veggies, mushrooms, nuts, and seeds is a great place to start when it comes to improving our vascular and cardiac health.