Vegetarian diets are twice as effective for weight loss as carnivorous meal plans
During World Meat Free Day, people said no to burgers and bolognese and yes to beans and lentils. While reducing your meat consumption is good for the planet, a new study has confirmed that going vegetarian can be really beneficial for your health as well.
Researchers from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington DC found that following a vegetarian diet is twice as effective than a carnivorous one for those who are willing to drop a few pounds. Besides losing weight more effectively, vegetarians are also reducing their muscle fat, as the Independent reports.
The findings are particularly important for people with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, as Dr. Hana Kahleová, lead author of the study, said. The team of researchers came to this conclusion after having studied 74 people with type 2 diabetes, who were assigned either a vegetarian diet or an anti-diabetic diet in conformity with the official recommendations of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). The vegetarian diet consisted of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains and legumes and one portion of low-fat yoghurt a day.
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After six years, those following the vegetarian diet had lost around 6.2 kg, while those following a traditional diet only 3.2 kg. “Vegetarian diets proved to be the most effective diets for weight loss. However, we also showed that a vegetarian diet is much more effective at reducing muscle fat, thus improving metabolism,” Dr Kahleová said. “This finding is important for people who are trying to lose weight, including those suffering from metabolic syndrome and/or type 2 diabetes. But it is also relevant to anyone who takes their weight management seriously and wants to stay lean and healthy.”
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