A study of identical twins found that a vegan diet improved cardiovascular health. The study was published on: JAMA Network Open.
The trial, conducted between May and July 2022, included 22 pairs of identical twins without cardiovascular disease. Each pair of twins was put on a different diet: omnivorous and vegan. Moreover, both diets were healthy: they contained plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and were free of sugar and refined starches. For the first four weeks, the food service delivered 21 meals per week; seven are breakfast, lunch and dinner. For the remaining four weeks, participants cooked their own meals and recorded all meals in a diary.
Participants on the vegan diet had significantly lower bad cholesterol (LDL), insulin and body weight levels than omnivorous participants. All these changes indicate that the heart and blood vessels are in better condition.
The average baseline LDL level for vegans was 110.7 mg/dL and for omnivores it was 118.5 mg/dL. At the end of the study, this rate dropped to 95.5 in vegans and 116.1 in omnivores. The optimal LDL cholesterol level for health is below 100.
Vegan participants also saw a nearly 20% reduction in insulin levels: Higher insulin levels are a risk factor for diabetes. They also lost an average of two pounds more than omnivores.
Previous scientists I learnedHigh levels of “good cholesterol” may increase the risk of dementia.