A study on identical twins from Stanford Medicine concludes that a healthy vegan diet really can make a big difference to heart health.
This study was 1st published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, (JAMA), The study was titled: The Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous VS Vegan Diets in Identical Twins, November 30, 2023:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2812392
VegNews: https://vegnews.com/2023/12/twin-study-eating-more-plants-healthier
(December 13, 2023)
In the last few years, multiple studies have suggested that a whole food, plant-based diet is one of the best ways to eat for our health. But new research, published in November, focusing on the diets of identical twins might just be the closest to definitive proof we’ve seen so far.
By studying 22 sets of identical twins, Stanford Medicine researchers were able to control for genetic and lifestyle factors, and simply focus on the health benefits of diet. In the study, which took place from May to July 2022, one twin followed a vegetable-rich omnivorous diet, with foods like chicken, fish, and eggs, while the other followed a vegetable-rich plant-based diet.
The researchers found that in the first four weeks, those on a plant-based diet had lower levels of LDL cholesterol and insulin, and they lost weight. All of these factors are associated with a lower risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death globally. This was likely because the twins on a plant-based diet were naturally eating more fiber and less saturated fat.
All of the twins started the study with relatively healthy LDL cholesterol levels, but the study still showed significant improvement. During the research, the average baseline LDL cholesterol level for vegans was 110.7 mg/dL and 118.5 mg/dL for omnivores. By the end, vegans had dropped to 95.5, while omnivores had reached 116.1.
For context, for those with no health issues, cholesterol between 100 and 129 isn’t generally considered concerning, but below 100 is the optimal LDL cholesterol score.
The results indicate that a plant-based diet could make a difference for those with concerningly high cholesterol levels in a matter of weeks.
Christopher Gardner, PhD, the study’s senior author, claimed that the research was a “groundbreaking way to assert that a vegan diet is healthier than the conventional diet.” He added that out of the 22 vegans in the study, 21 have carried on with the plant-based lifestyle.
Vegan food and heart health
The new study builds on existing research that links plant-based foods with improved heart health. While the Stanford researchers focused on a whole foods plant-based diet, which contains very few processed foods, previous studies have also suggested that even switching from animal meat to vegan meat could have a positive impact on health.
For example, another recent Stanford Medicine study, also led by Gardner, compared red meat consumption with plant-based meat consumption in a group of 30 people. “There’s been this sort of backlash against these new meat alternatives,” he said in a statement. “The question is, if you’re adding sodium and coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat, and using processed ingredients, is the product still actually healthy?”
The study found that those who consumed at least two servings of plant-based meat a week had lower levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). Those who only ate red meat had higher levels. Emerging evidence has linked higher TMAO levels with a potential increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study also, again, found a modest drop in weight and LDL cholesterol levels for those who ate more plant-based meat.