Study says plant based diets are more effective for weight loss

Although there are many ways to lose weight, multiple studies have shown that certain foods and the right combination of foods make weight loss easier. The latest study says that eating a vegetarian diet is twice as effective for weight loss as a conventional diabetic diet, and it also boosts metabolism.

Defeating diabetes with a vegetarian diet

Medical News today reported that a plant based diet trumps a traditional diabetic diet for weight loss.

A plant-based, or vegetarian diet, helps those with Type 2 Diabetes lose weight by reducing muscle fat. It is also shown to increase metabolism. The findings for the latest study were published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. The lead author of the study was Dr. Hanna Kahleova, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington D.C. and her colleagues. In the study paper produced, the researchers said that a change in diet is an important part of managing type 2 diabetes. During the six-month study, they conducted, they compared the effects of a plant-based vegetarian diet in 74 patients.

Half the patients were assigned to the vegetarian group while the other half received the conventional diet. The participants received their meals as part of the study, and it included cutting 500 calories from the daily diet.

The vegetarian diet consisted of 60 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein, and 25 percent fat while the conventional diabetes diet consisted of 50 percent carbohydrates, 20 percent protein, and 30 percent fat with seven percent limited to saturated fat. While the vegetarian diet included grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts, the conventional diet included foods like peanut butter raisin oatmeal, tuna, brown rice, and low-fat yogurt.

Analyzing the results

Business Wire reported that participants didn't change their exercise habits during the first three months of the study.

During the second half, they added aerobic exercise. Those who followed the vegetarian diet lost more subfascial fat, which is the fat that lines the muscles, and intramuscular fat, the fat that is stored in the muscles. By reducing the fat both lining the muscles and in the muscles, participants improved their insulin sensitivity. The researchers said that this was essentially a metabolic reboot because taking the muscle fat out allowed insulin into the muscle to better process the sugar and convert it to energy. The group of adults, which was split equally between men and women, lost an average of 13.67 pounds on the vegetarian diet while those who ate the conventional diet lost an average of 7.1 pounds.

Type 2 diabetes is a significant problem for many people and aging populations as the result of a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, or obesity. Currently, 150 million people worldwide are affected while 29 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. Another 86 million Americans struggle with prediabetes, a condition where they have a higher than normal blood sugar. Those with prediabetes are at particular risk, and diet can help to reduce blood sugar as well as weight. The best diet plan is one that is personalized and the dieter will stick to. Certain foods, like apple cider vinegar, have been proven to provide both weight loss results and health benefits. When considering diet plans, patients need to discuss their options with their doctor.