There are a lot of benefits to eating an herbal diet, from lowering the risk of every major disease to helping save the planet. But now there is growing evidence that an herbal diet will help you lose weight and stay healthy, because herbal foods are rich in nutrients, antioxidants and fiber, and low in saturated fat. Now there is a new study to add: that herbal diets are more effective for long-term weight loss than the keto diet. Published in the journal Nature medicine, the study, “The effect of a low-fat plant-based diet on an animal-based ketogenic diet” investigated the difference between a low-fat plant-based diet and an animal-based diet, low in carbohydrates, to see how each affected weight loss.
A new study compares herbal diets with Keto diets
Led by researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the study followed 20 adults without diabetes for four consecutive weeks in the Metabolic Clinical Research Unit of the NIH Clinical Center, offering them three meals and snacks daily and allowing those 11 men and 9 women to eat as much as they wanted. For two weeks, they received either a low-fat herbal diet or a low-carbohydrate animal keto diet, and then, after 2 weeks, switched to the alternative diet for two weeks.
While both diets led to weight loss, the herbal diet allowed participants to eat more calories a day and see a “significant loss of body fat,” which the keto diet did not share. People on a herbal diet were as satisfied and full as the keto diets. So, all in all, they ate more and lost more body fat than when they were put on the keto plan.
“It is believed that high-fat foods lead to an excessive intake of calories, because they have a lot of calories per bite. Alternatively, foods high in carbohydrates can cause large fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin that can increase hunger and lead to overeating, ”said NIDDK lead researcher Kevin Hall, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “Our study was designed to determine whether high-carb or high-fat diets lead to higher calorie intake.” The scientists then compared the results of these diets in terms of calorie intake, hormone levels, weight and other factors.
A low-fat plant-based diet leads to lower calorie intake
The researchers found that those on a low-fat plant-based diet consumed 550 to 700 fewer calories a day than when they ate a low-carb diet. Even though they ate substantially fewer calories in the low-fat plant-based diet, “study participants did not report any differences in hunger, meal enjoyment, or fullness between the two diets. In addition, participants lost weight while following both dietary approaches, but only the low-fat herbal diet “led to a significant loss of body fat.” Future research should be done to see how these results have accumulated over a longer period of time.
Ashley Shaw, a registered dietitian for Preg Appetit !, who was not associated with the research, decomposed these findings for us, saying that “currently, high-fat animal-based diets are very popular for weight loss (e.g. , keto, paleo) so this is good news for those who are vegan or vegetarian, or who just want a more plant-based lifestyle and also want to lose weight. “She noted, however, that while the herbal diet led to a greater loss of body fat compared to the keto-based animal diet, those on the herbal diet had a lower blood sugar.
The study found that there are several other benefits to herbal consumption beyond weight loss. “Those who eat the plant-based diet may eat larger portions because the food is lower in calories per gram of food compared to animal-based foods,” Shaw said, noting that the diet. Plant contains much more fiber, which helps keep your cravings at bay. “This means that although those who follow this diet may eat more due to the fact that it is lower in calories, they were actually more likely to eat smaller portions,” she added. Consumption of a high-fiber diet of fruits, vegetables, grains and beans is also linked to a variety of positive health outcomes, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. (For more information on fiber and its health benefits, see this article.)
A Whole-Foods, herbal, is also linked to weight loss
Beyond the latest study, there are many reasons why experts believe that vegan can help promote weight loss. “A vegan diet is rich in heart-healthy fats and fiber, which together can be extremely beneficial for weight loss. Polyunsaturated fats help the body metabolize fats for energy, while fiber makes you feel full faster and stay more satisfied after a meal. That means smaller portions go a long way and consume fewer calories, ”Shaw said, adding that everyone is different, and for some, a higher-fat diet is better for weight loss. while others may need a diet richer in carbohydrates or protein. .
“What I like about this study is that it gives vegans / vegetarians an option, because most plant-based foods are richer in carbohydrates. This shows that keto is not the only option for weight loss and may not even be such a good option for those who eat animal-based foods, ”continued Shaw. An important caveat, this study was designed in a strictly controlled laboratory setting: “A major factor in this study was that the food consumed (whether based on plants or animals) was minimally processed, which is not the case. just as easy to achieve outside of a controlled environment, ”she said, noting that many of those who follow plant-based diets are more likely to eat minimally processed foods and are generally healthier than those who eat a standard American diet.
As Michele Sidorenkov, RDN warns, there are certainly some carbohydrate-rich, vegan diets that are unhealthy and can lead to weight gain. “I’ve heard of the term ‘vegan junk food,’ which is someone who consumes a lot of processed, packaged vegan foods, such as frozen cookies and snacks,” she said. “While a junk food vegan may fall into the category of eating high-carb vegan meals, they will not receive the same weight loss or satiety as described in the research study … There are many ways in which one could eat a vegetarian diet rich in carbohydrates and not all lead to weight loss. ”
Despite the potential for unhealthy adaptation of an herbal diet, as in the case of any diet, Sidorenkov gives the green light to vegan consumption when it comes to weight loss. “Personally, I feel that a vegan diet could be beneficial for someone trying to lose weight if the diet is sustainable, the person feels satisfied and not deprived, and they include adequate amounts of plant-based proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. healthy at every meal, ”she explained.
Example of a meal plan for a low-fat plant-based diet
For an example of what a nutritious herbal diet day following a low-fat herbal diet might look like, Shaw recommends the following:
Breakfast: Tropical smoothie with frozen pieces of mango and pineapple, bananas, baby spinach, hemp hearts and walnut milk to choose from. (We love this refreshing mango and banana smoothie recipe.)
Lunch: Multigrain bread sprouted with walnut butter and strawberry slices sprinkled with chia seeds
Dinner: Homemade burrito bowl with black beans and brown rice with Tex-Mex spices over a bed of salad covered with avocado, tomatoes, onions, jalapeño and salsa.
Snacks: Peanut butter or almond butter with apple slices; hummus with carrot and celery sticks; strips of guacamole and bell pepper.
Bottom line: To lose weight and keep it off, switch to a plant-based diet rich in whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.