A new study has established that overweight people who want to leave meat can consider a plant-based, low-fat diet. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine researchers indicated that a low-fat vegan diet helps weight loss and boost fat-burning ability.
A vegan diet can increase after meal calories burn
The researchers conducted a 16-week study on overweight individuals with no diabetes history. They divided the study participants into two. The first group started in fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and vegetables without any calorie limit per day, while the second group continued with their usual diet. Most importantly, the study focused on diet only, and no participant changed their daily medication or exercise routines. The study revealed that the group that consumed plant-based diets raised after-meal calorie burn by around 18.7%.
Hana Kahleova, the study author, stated that the results are very vital for over 160 million Americans that struggle with obesity and overweight. She added that with time, enhanced after meal calories burn can considerably make a difference in weight management.
Over the study period, individuals that started on a plant-based low-fat vegan diet managed to drop 14 pounds on average. There was a noticeable drop in visceral fat volume and fat mass in the group consuming the vegan diet compared to the control group. Visceral fat is the amount of fat surrounding an individual’s organs.
Study tacked liver and muscle cell fat levels
Notably, the study teamed with Yale University researchers to track liver and muscle cell fat levels in participants. The dieters experienced a decrease in fat level in the liver by 34%, while muscle cells fat dropped by 10%. According to the study authors, the changes are vital because the fat in muscle cells and liver correlate with diabetes and insulin resistance.
Kahleova added that when fat builds in muscle cells and the liver, it disrupts insulin’s ability to take glucose from the bloodstream into cells. After 16-weeks, the dieters significantly reduced muscle cell fat, thus lowering the chances of having type II diabetes.