After only four months of a plant-based diet, the participants in the study experienced amazing results.
The debate on advantages of vegan diet versus downsides of excluding all animal products is still alive and kicking: omnivores and herbivores can’t seem to find a mutual ground. However, regardless of personal preferences, it appears that no one can’t deny that switching to vegan nutrition does have some health benefits. A recent study serves as a testament to this, as it revealed that plant-based diet improves insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function in overweight adults.
The paper, published in Nutrients, tracked the insulin levels of 75 overweight people with no history of diabetes. The participants were all non-vegans and were divided into two groups: one followed a low-fat, plant-based diet for 16 weeks- without introducing any other lifestyle changes, like exercise or medication, and the other just kept everything the same.
The group that went vegan for four months experienced multiple benefits. They’ve noticed both weight loss and reduced body fat, and their insulin resistance was dramatically improved. Considering the timeframe, the positive results are more than impressive. But, in the end, it’s the implications of the study that are the most exciting.
The effect of switching to a vegan diet seems to improve your odds when it comes to developing type 2 diabetes. The plant-based diet was able to modify beta-cell function and fasting insulin sensitivity, potentially making it a viable prevention method. Also, considering its effect on insulin resistance, could vegan diet hold answers for ladies that struggle with PCOS, too?
Although there is still room for further research of long-term effects of vegan diet and its link to diabetes, the findings of Physicians for Responsible Medicine research team are fascinating. To experience such a health improvement in such a short period is by no means insignificant- in fact, it should motivate more of us to reconsider our own dietary choices.
Photo credit: Foxys Forest Manufacture/Shutterstock
