Eating plants instead of meat helped people lose weight and feel better
Changes in Food and Nutrient Intake and Diet Quality on a Low-Fat Vegan Diet Are Associated with Changes in Body Weight, Body Composition, and Insulin Sensitivity in Overweight Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Reducing fat intake alone correlated with less body fat (r = +0.14, P = 0.04), even after adjusting for total calories.
Most people believe fat doesn’t matter if calories are controlled—but this suggests that lowering dietary fat, even slightly, has a direct, independent effect on body fat loss.
Practical Takeaways
Replace one meat-based meal per day with a legume-based meal (e.g., lentil soup, black bean tacos) and cut out added oils.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Reducing fat intake alone correlated with less body fat (r = +0.14, P = 0.04), even after adjusting for total calories.
Most people believe fat doesn’t matter if calories are controlled—but this suggests that lowering dietary fat, even slightly, has a direct, independent effect on body fat loss.
Practical Takeaways
Replace one meat-based meal per day with a legume-based meal (e.g., lentil soup, black bean tacos) and cut out added oils.
Publication
Journal
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Year
2022
Authors
Lelia Crosby, E. Rembert, Susan M Levin, Amber A. Green, Zeeshan Ali, Meghan A Jardine, M. Nguyen, P. Elliott, Daniel Goldstein, Amber Freeman, Meka Bradshaw, D. Holtz, R. Holubkov, N. Barnard, H. Kahleová
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Claims (5)
When overweight people eat more beans and less meat for 4 months, they tend to lose more weight—especially if they eat lots of beans.
When overweight people eat a low-fat vegan diet for 4 months, they eat way more fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains—and much less meat, dairy, eggs, and added oils.
People who switch to a low-fat vegan diet for 4 months eat healthier overall, and this healthier eating is linked to losing weight, losing body fat, and improving blood sugar control.
Switching to a low-fat vegan diet for 4 months helps your body use insulin better, which can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes—even if you don’t lose much weight.
Cutting down on fats—especially added fats—in your diet for 4 months helps you lose body fat, even if you’re not eating fewer calories overall.