Plant-based low-carb diet beats veggie high-carb diet for heart health
Effect of a 6-month vegan low-carbohydrate (‘Eco-Atkins’) diet on cardiovascular risk factors and body weight in hyperlipidaemic adults: a randomised controlled trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A vegan low-carb diet lowered LDL cholesterol more than a high-carb vegetarian diet—even though both were plant-based.
Most people assume all vegetarian diets are equally good for cholesterol. This shows that carb quantity matters—even without meat.
Practical Takeaways
Replace refined carbs (bread, pasta) with plant-based fats: add 1/4 cup almonds, 2 tbsp olive oil, or tofu to meals daily.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A vegan low-carb diet lowered LDL cholesterol more than a high-carb vegetarian diet—even though both were plant-based.
Most people assume all vegetarian diets are equally good for cholesterol. This shows that carb quantity matters—even without meat.
Practical Takeaways
Replace refined carbs (bread, pasta) with plant-based fats: add 1/4 cup almonds, 2 tbsp olive oil, or tofu to meals daily.
Publication
Journal
BMJ Open
Year
2014
Authors
D. Jenkins, J. M. Wong, C. Kendall, A. Esfahani, Vivian W Y Ng, Tracy C K Leong, D. Faulkner, E. Vidgen, Gregory Paul, R. Mukherjea, E. Krul, William M Singer
Related Content
Claims (6)
If overweight people with high cholesterol eat a vegan diet low in carbs for six months, their harmful blood particles go down a bit more than if they eat a vegetarian diet high in carbs.
If you're overweight and have high cholesterol, eating a vegan diet low in carbs (but high in fats from nuts and oils) for 6 months might help you lose more weight and lower your bad cholesterol more than eating a vegetarian diet high in carbs.
If you're overweight and have high cholesterol, eating a vegan diet low in carbs for 6 months might lower your risk of heart disease a little more than eating a vegetarian diet high in carbs.
If overweight people with high fat in their blood switch to a vegan diet low in carbs for six months, their triglyceride levels drop more than if they ate a vegetarian diet high in carbs — which is good for their heart health.
If you're overweight and have high cholesterol, eating a vegan diet low in carbs for 6 months might lower your bad cholesterol markers more than a vegetarian diet high in carbs — meaning your heart might be at lower risk.