With a little planning, vegan diets can be a healthful choice
Recently there has been much discussion and many questions about vegan diets. Are vegan diets — which exclude meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy — healthful? Do they provide complete nutrition? Should I try one? Will it help me lose weight?
Many people around the world eat plant-based diets for a variety of reasons, some because meat is not readily available or affordable, others because of religious convictions or concerns about animal welfare. Health has become another reason people are moving to plant-based diets. And research supports the idea that plant-based diets, including vegan diets, provide health benefits.
What does the science say?
A recent meta-analysis, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, looked at nine observational studies totaling over 300,000 participants to see how plant-based diets (both vegan and vegetarian) relate to type 2 diabetes risk. The study found that those most closely following plant-based diets (emphasizing foods like whole grains, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fruits, while de-emphasizing or eliminating animal foods such as meat, dairy, and eggs) had a 23% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In a 2016 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers analyzed the diets of over 26,000 men for nearly eight years. They found that vegan diets were linked with a 35% lower risk of prostate cancer compared to non-vegetarian diets.
And an extensive review of the literature published in The Lancet in February...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Katherine D. McManus, MS, RD, LDN Tags: Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs
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