With many making drastic changes to their diets in the new year, a new study explores the benefits of a vegetarian versus a carnivore diet.
To be a vegetarian, you must avoid all foods that come from animals, such as meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, and honey. On the other hand, an omnivorous diet allows eating foods from both plant and animal sources.
The latest study revealed many health benefits of following a plant-based diet, but nutrition experts say this does not mean that giving up animal foods is the solution for everyone.
Vegetarian diet versus omnivore diet: study results
new search, published November 30 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), She tracked 22 pairs of identical twins for eight weeks, with one twin in each pair eating a vegetarian diet and the other eating a carnivore diet. The diet for both groups was designed to be healthy, with plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and limited amounts of added sugars, refined grains and highly processed foods.
“Each pair of twins was randomly assigned to one of the two diets, so neither person had to choose their own diet,” said Dr. Christopher Gardner, a research professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “, says TODAY.com.
He says using identical twins to measure study outcomes was crucial because external factors often influence the results of nutrition-related studies. He explains that because each set of twins in Gardner’s study had the same genes, upbringing, and similar attitudes and behaviors regarding food and exercise, the research provided more reliable data than other randomized clinical trials.
The results showed that a vegetarian diet had better cardiovascular health outcomes than a carnivore diet, such as: a 20% reduction in insulin levels, a 12% reduction in bad LDL cholesterol, and a 3% reduction in total body weight.
All participants started the study at healthy weights and had insulin and cholesterol levels within the normal range, “so there wasn’t a lot of room for improvement, and yet they improved — and in just 8 weeks,” Gardner says. He adds that the research also showed other health benefits of the plant group that are still under analysis and will be published in a later study.
People in the carnivore group did not experience any harmful changes to their health.
“Many of the benefits (of a plant-based diet) were demonstrated in this study and supported by other research,” Gene Messer, a registered dietitian and president-elect of the New Hampshire Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com. She did not participate in the study.
She adds that such heart-health benefits are expected from a balanced vegetarian diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant proteins.
Is eating animal products healthy?
Experts say that the results of the study do not necessarily mean that a vegetarian diet is better than eating omnivorous meat.
“The bottom line is not that the world should go vegan,” Gardner explains. Instead, “it is very likely that there are partial benefits that can be experienced simply by replacing some of the meat in your diet with more plant-based foods.”
Messer agrees, adding that she frequently advises her clients to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet to improve cardiovascular health. “I often recommend Meatless Mondays or something similar as an easy way to add more plant-based proteins to your diet without fully committing to a vegetarian plan that may not appeal to everyone,” she says.
Another way to temporarily try a vegan diet is to participate in veganism, where you avoid animal products for the month of January. There are plenty of easy vegetarian recipes you can follow.
Is it bad to eliminate an entire food group?
Messer says it can be harmful to your health to completely eliminate any food group if not done carefully.
“Eliminating an entire food group as in a vegan diet may leave you deficient in essential nutrients,” she explains. “A vegetarian dietary pattern may pose limitations in nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron, omega-3, and calcium – as shown by numerous studies.”
A deficiency of vitamin B12, which is found only in animal products, can lead to neurological problems, fatigue and possible long-term nerve damage. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia and poor cognitive function, and calcium deficiency may lead to weak bones and increased risk of fractures. Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in heart health, brain function, and regulating inflammation. To avoid these deficiencies, Messer says vegans often need “supplements or careful meal planning.”
For some people, a vegetarian diet can also be less satisfying: Twins in the vegetarian group in the study reported lower overall satisfaction than those in the omnivore group.
But regardless of your dietary restrictions, “there are many ways to formulate a healthy dietary pattern consistent with personal and cultural preferences,” Alice Lichtenstein, director of cardiovascular nutrition at the USDA Jean Mayer Center for Human Nutrition Research on Aging at Tufts University, says. TODAY.com.
“The crucial issue is that a healthy dietary pattern should be enjoyed, fit into one’s lifestyle, and maintained over the long term,” she says.
And going vegan isn’t inherently healthy either.
“One way to follow a vegan diet is to cut out beef, chicken, pork, fish, dairy, and eggs and replace them with soda, vegan cookies, and vegan snacks. There will be risks with that,” Gardner says.
Whether you eat animal products or not, “a reasonable selection of vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits should provide all the nutrients needed to support a full, active life,” he adds.
