A vegan dietary plan with minimal fat outperformed the Mediterranean diet when it came to weight loss, according to the Independent.
The study tracked 62 adults across two sessions that each lasted 16 weeks. Participants followed one eating plan, paused for four weeks, then switched to the other.
One group ate Mediterranean-style meals featuring seafood, olives, and fresh greens. The other stuck to vegan options like whole wheat, legumes, and produce that excluded meat and dairy.
People dropped more weight on the vegan plan. The research team used scoring systems to track different categories of plants. Scores went up when participants avoided meat, dairy, and eggs, even when they ate less nutritious options like processed grains or sweetened drinks.
If you're looking to drop pounds, this is good news. A vegan strategy gives you another tool that works, and you don't need to count calories or measure portions obsessively. The key is swapping out meat and dairy for plant-based alternatives.
Your health gets better, and so does the planet. Eating less meat reduces the resources needed to raise livestock, which consume massive amounts of water and land. Choosing plants over meat also reduces methane pollution from farms.
The study found that plants higher in fiber fill you up faster and keep you satisfied longer. These options trigger hormones in your body that control hunger, working like certain medications designed to drop pounds.
You can start small if going fully vegan feels overwhelming. Try replacing one meat-based meal each day with beans, lentils, or tofu. Add more whole grains and vegetables to your plate. These swaps add up over time.
"Replacing of animal-based foods with plant-based foods was associated with weight loss, even in the context of 'unhealthful' foods as defined by the PDI," the researchers noted in their findings.
The Mediterranean diet still offers health benefits, but if losing weight is your main goal, the vegan strategy might work better for you.
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