Food costs decrease 16% on a low-fat vegan diet, a savings of more than $500 a year, compared to a diet that includes meat, dairy, and other animal products, according to a new analysis from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in JAMA Network Open.
“We knew that a vegan diet significantly reduces your risk of conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity—and now we have proof that opting for beans instead of beef will also lead to significant savings on your grocery bill,” says study co-author Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
The research is an analysis of a Physicians Committee study in which participants were randomly assigned to a vegan group or control group. The vegan group was asked to follow a low-fat vegan diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, while the control group was requested to make no diet changes. Calorie intake and food costs were not limited for either group.
For the food cost assessment, the participants’ dietary records were linked to food price data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan, 2021.
Total food costs decreased in the vegan group by 16%, or $1.51 per day, compared with no significant change in the control group. This decrease was mainly attributable to savings on meat, -$1.77 per day, and dairy, -$0.74 per day. Changes in purchases of other food groups (e.g., eggs and added fats) also contributed to the observed savings.
These savings outweighed the increased spending on vegetables, +$1.03 per day; fruits, +$0.40 per day; legumes, +$0.30 per day; whole grains, +$0.30 per day, and meat and dairy alternatives.
The findings support previous research showing that a plant-based diet provides more cost savings than one that includes animal products.
In addition to the cost savings, the study found that a low-fat vegan diet resulted in weight loss and improved body composition and insulin sensitivity in overweight adults.
Plant-based low-carbohydrate diet linked with lower risk of premature death for people with type 2 diabetes
Adhering to a plant-based low-carbohydrate diet was associated with a reduction in overall cardiovascular and cancer mortality among people with type 2 diabetes
Researchers observed the most substantial health benefits among people who not only adhered to this diet but also had other healthy habits, such as exercising, not smoking, and consuming alcohol in moderate amounts
Following a low-carbohydrate diet comprised primarily of plant-based foods was significantly associated with a lower risk of premature death among people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It is the first prospective cohort study to examine the relationship between low-carbohydrate diet patterns and mortality among people with diagnosed type 2 diabetes.
“While avoiding refined and highly-processed carbohydrates has been widely recommended to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, our study provides the first empirical evidence on how low-carb diets can help manage the progression of existing diabetes,” said lead author Yang Hu, research associate in the Department of Nutrition.
The researchers analyzed 34 years of health data from 7,224 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study and 2,877 men participating in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, all of whom developed type 2 diabetes after those studies began. The participants completed questionnaires on lifestyle and medical history every other year, allowing the researchers to assess the compositions of their diets and score them according to intake of animal proteins and fats, vegetable proteins and fats, high-quality carbohydrates, and low-quality carbohydrates.
The findings showed a 24% reduction in all-cause mortality among those adhering to a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern. The health benefits were stronger for low-carbohydrate diets emphasising plant-based foods and high-quality carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Those diets were also associated with lower cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. Low-carbohydrate diets emphasising animal products and low-quality carbohydrates, such as potatoes, added sugars, and refined grains, were not significantly associated with lower mortality.
The researchers observed the strongest health benefits among people adhering to other healthy habits, such as not smoking, regularly exercising, and drinking alcohol in moderation, alongside a plant-based low-carbohydrate diet.
“This study, once again, underscores the importance of diet quality when choosing among various diets for diabetes control and management,” said Qi Sun, senior author and associate professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology.
A recent 2021 review looked at several studies showing the effects that a vegan diet had on fibromyalgia, a painful disease that mostly affects women. Also covered: What is fibromyalgia? / What causes fibromyalgia?
Each January, people pledge to make big changes in their lives. Some commit to an ambitious gym regime, while some strive to kick bad habits once and for all. According to Statistica, the most popular New Year’s resolution in the UK for 2020 was to eat healthier (44 percent of respondents) and a further nine per cent of respondents declared their ambition to become vegan or vegetarian. This is no surprise. Veganuary has received more hype than ever before, with big brands jumping on the trend and more people than ever taking the pledge.
In becoming more mainstream, veganism has managed to shake off some outdated stereotypes. No longer is our go-to archetypal vegan adorned with dreadlocks, harem pants and hemp products. Today, the dietary choice has stripped away the stereotype and is endorsed by people from all walks of life.
According to Dominika Piasecka,
spokeswoman for The Vegan Society, “The image of veganism is undergoing the
most radical change in its history, while shedding some tired old stereotypes”.
Thanks to the food industry, the beauty industry and the media, the face of veganism
has changed and become more accessible and appealing to the masses. Here’s how:
Vegan
fast food
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed the surge of brand-new vegan fast food dishes that have been introduced this January. Chains including Greggs, KFC and Costa, have all made a big effort to introduce veganism to their food ranges, with roaring success.
Greggs in particular is proving to
be a forerunner in the vegan fast food trend. Last January saw the release of
the wonderfully controversial vegan sausage roll —whether you were happily
cutting down on your meat intake or enraged by the mere prospect of
pastry-covered Quorn as some protesters were, it was impossible to miss the
hype surrounding this product. After its January launch, the vegan sausage roll
became one of Greggs’ top 10 bestselling products, which helped the company’s
sales soar by 13.4 per cent over the year! With the recent, highly anticipated,
release of the vegan steak bake this January, we’re already seeing a similar
phenomenon and vegans across the country are getting access to cheap, quick
vegan meals.
It is the cheap, easy and not
necessarily healthy aspect of these new products that is broadening the range
of veganism. The fact that you can now stick to a vegan diet while still being
able to occasionally indulge in fast food has made this dietary option far more
appealing to the masses.
Vegan
fashion
The fact that vegans are no longer
viewed exclusively as hippies is also down to the growing world of vegan
fashion. With footwear and beauty products leading the way, it is now easier
than ever to dress ethically without compromising your individual style.
According to Fashion
United, vegan footwear accounted for 16 percent of the total UK
market in 2018, up from 15 percent in 2017.Vegan trainers
make up a large percentage of this and they allow vegans to take on a classic
look rather than adhering to a stereotypically vegan dress code.
According to Google search trends,
more people have Googled the phrase “vegan fashion” this year than ever before
and the search trend has increased steadily since 2004. Clearly, more and more
people are ready to take on the lifestyle change, but don’t want to sacrifice
their fashion tastes. Luckily, they no longer have to!
Debunking
Veganism Myths
As well as major industry
innovations, the societal perception of veganism is changing dramatically.
Thanks to celebrity endorsement, media attention and popular documentaries such
as The Game Changers, people now have a completely different image of
veganism. No longer are vegans perceived as weak, or lacking vital nutrients,
as these myths have been debunked by athletes and medical professionals.
Thanks to these changes in
perception and the fact that new products are being created all the time,
veganism is more accessible than ever. People are no longer being put off by an
outdated version of what they believe veganism to look like and more and more
of us are giving this lifestyle a go!
A presentation outlining all the beneficial nutrition found in meat, via plant based sources. All the potential pros, only with less adverse side effects on your health, the environment, and the other species we share our home with. We’ll look at everything from K2 and B12, to iodine and cholesterol. How much do you really need, why do you need it, and where can you find it?
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