Changing to a vegan diet has helped lots of people lose weight. But how does that function? Researchers have now discovered the solution.
Atilla Hildmann once set the standard: the author shed a significant amount of weight by adopting a vegan diet, and many others have since done the same. But why does eating vegetables have such an impact on our bodies? In a study that lasted 16 weeks, researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) looked at 148 overweight and obese adults to answer this question.
What does a vegan diet do to the body?
The participants were split into two groups: one group was instructed to follow a low-fat, vegan diet going forward, while the other group received no such directives. The daily calorie intake was the same for both groups. As a result, test individuals in group one had significantly less weight loss than those in group two. Not only that, but body fat made up about two-thirds of the weight loss. At the European Association for the Study of Diabetes' 2019 annual meeting, the researchers presented the study's findings.
The new data are not the first to suggest that a vegan diet can help with weight loss. Until now, the big question has been: why did subjects get such good results from this diet? With the new investigation the scientists came to the answer to this question now a piece nearer: According to the study, the concentration of certain healthy intestinal bacteria was particularly high in the test subjects of the vegan group.
All good things lie in the gut
Hana Kahleova, study author and head of PCRM, said on the Medscape Medical News physician platform, "A plant-based diet rich in fiber modifies the composition of the gut microbiome for the better by feeding the proper kind of bacteria." Two healthy bacterial species that had multiplied during the investigation were the subject of the study's data.:
- Bacteroidetes, are responsible for digesting fiber as well as being important for metabolism and producing short-chain fatty acids.
- Faecalibacterium prausnitzii feeds on dietary fiber from plant products and is thought to be related to weight loss. In addition, this bacterium improves insulin sensitivity - which not only boosts metabolism but also lowers the risk of diabetes (learn what it means to be diabetic here).
- Kahleova and her team now want to compare the vegan diet with other nutritional concepts that are considered healthy, such as the Mediterranean diet, in another test.
Do we all have to go vegan now?
The study's findings do not necessarily imply that in the future, everyone will have to fully give up eating meat and other animal products. For many people, it is hardly bearable, and for this reason, nourishing scientists are seen as the most crucial foundation for a successful nourishing conversion, regardless of whether one wants to reduce now or merely take care of their health. Additionally, there is always a chance that a vegan diet will leave you lacking in certain nutrients and B vitamins. Anyone who wants to try the vegan diet should first discuss any potential health concerns with their doctor.