A low-fat vegan diet has been found to positively impact the gut microbiome, allowing for weight loss without reducing calorie intake. According to a study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), overweight individuals can lose weight without reducing calories through a vegan diet. The study, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, involved 148 overweight and obese adults who were divided into two groups. One group received a low-fat vegan diet for four months, while the other group did not. Despite not reducing their calorie intake, the vegan group lost significantly more weight than the non-vegan control group.
The study found that vegans lose about twice as much weight as non-vegans with identical calorie intake. This is due to an increase in healthy gut bacteria through a plant-based diet with plenty of fiber. The gut microbiome analysis showed that vegan participants had an increase in Bacteroidetes bacteria, which digest fiber and produce short-chain fatty acids related to metabolism. Additionally, the bacteria Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, which feeds on plant-based fiber and is associated with weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity, was more prevalent in vegans.
While this study only examined the effects of a low-fat vegan diet on metabolism, other studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet also positively impacts weight. Further research is needed to examine the effects of a high-fat vegan diet and a diet recommended for diabetes treatment. The study’s lead author, Hana Kahleova, suggests that a plant-based diet with plenty of fiber can positively impact the gut microbiome and lead to weight loss without reducing calorie intake.
