News Veganism beats Mediterranean diet for weight loss, science shows

Who knew the Mediterranean diet could be beaten?! New research has found that a low-fat vegan diet is superior for weight management & overall health.

A new study, undertaken by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and published in Frontiers In Nutrition, has revealed that a low-fat vegan diet could be a more effective tool for weight loss than the Mediterranean diet – commonly touted as one of the healthiest eating patterns.

Researchers found that adopting a low-fat vegan diet helps reduce harmful inflammatory dietary compounds known as ‘advanced glycation end-products’ (AGEs) by an impressive 73%, whereas following a Mediterranean diet resulted in no reduction at all. 

Similarly, the study’s participants who followed a vegan diet showed an average weight loss of nearly 6kg, compared to those who experienced no change on a Mediterranean diet.  

AGEs, which are generally found in higher amounts in animal products than in plant-derived foods, have been found to contribute to insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which can in turn lead to weight gain and fuel the onset of serious chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.

This latest research sheds compelling new light on the power of plant-based eating.

“[It] helps bust the myth that a Mediterranean diet is best for weight loss,” says lead study author, Dr. Hana Kahleova, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

“Choosing a low-fat vegan diet – that avoids the dairy and oil so common in the Mediterranean diet – helps reduce intake of [harmful AGEs], leading to significant weight loss.”

The study saw participants randomly assigned to follow either a low-fat vegan diet (rich in grains, beans, veggies, and fruits) or a Mediterranean diet (which focussed on fruits, veggies, legumes, low-fat dairy, fish, and extra virgin olive oil) for 16 weeks, with no caloric restrictions.

After this first phase, participants returned to their baseline eating habits for a month, before switching to the opposite group’s diet (low-fat vegan or Mediterranean) for a further 16 weeks.

Dietary AGEs were then calculated using participants’ self-reported food intake, with scores assigned to each food using an existing database of AGE content.

And the results couldn’t be clearer: A low-fat diet focused on whole plant foods led to significant weight loss and a sharp reduction in harmful dietary AGEs.

Our research shows that you can use the power of your plate to lose weight with a low-fat vegan diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans and low in AGEs.

Dr. Hana Kahleova, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

According to researchers, the reduction of dietary AGEs seen on the low-fat vegan diet came primarily from cutting out meat (41%), reducing the consumption of added fats (27%), and excluding dairy products (14%).

[Eating plant-based] is a simple and delicious way to maintain a healthy weight and fight chronic disease.

Dr. Hana Kahleova, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

These new findings add to the substantial body of evidence that going vegan isn’t just a good option for sustainable weight management, it’s a powerful tool for overall health, too.

Why not take the first step towards better health, and discover how empowering plant-based eating can be? Grab a free veg starter kit today for nutrition tips, recipe ideas, cooking tips, and more.